For successful implementation of the Right to Information Act-2009, a daylong community dialogue held at conference room, Arani Monomohini High School, Arani, Bagha, Rajshahi on 2nd May, 2019. The dialogue was organized by Bangladesh NGO’s Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) in collaboration with Community Radio Boral. The event supported by and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF, Bangladesh).
The purpose of this dialogue was to increase public awareness on their information rights under RTI Act, 2009 as well as the assigned officials from the local govt. departments, those also proactively responsible to provide all required information of the local community people.
Mr. Alamgir Kabir, Additional District Commissioner (Revenue), Rajshahi, was attended this Community Dialogue as a Chief Guest. The event was also attended by Advocate Layebuddin Lablu, Chairman, Bagha upazilla; Faruk Md. Abdul Munim, Senior Officer, Information Department, Rajshahi District and Mohammad Muktar Ali, Mayor, Arani Bagha were attended as a Special Guest.
About 100 participants such as representatives from different local government officials from education, health, agriculture, lands, women and children affairs etc., representatives from civil society based organizations, Broadcasters and members of CR Listeners Clubs, Dalit and Rishi community including media and local press club members participated this dialogue.
A total of 04 Panelists were attended in this dialogue for panel discussion. They were – Mr. Abu Sayeed Tota, lecturer, Alhaj Ershad Ali Women’s Degree College; Ms Mahmuda Begum Guinea, Asst. Director, Thanapara Swallows Development Society, Charghat; Md. Raihan Ali, Development Activist (Swallows) and Advocate Ruma Sarkar, Lawyer, Rajshahi Judges Court along with M. Hamidul Islam, lecturer, Aysha Saber Alim Madrasa and a renowned cultural activist of Bagha, as a moderator of the dialogue.
The program started with briefing on the aim, objectives and the expected outcomes of the dialogue including it’s process of the RTI Act 2009 among the participants. The moderator introduced the panelists and guests.
Advocate Ruma Sarkar presented a keynote paper on this community RTI dialogue. After then, all panelists and the speakers of the dialogue have highlighted the need to support people’s life and livelihood development through providing information and maintaining transparency, accuracy, balance and responsibility on behalf of their respected organizations.
Later on an open dialogue was held among all participants through a question answer session.
At the closing stage, the Chief Guest along with the Special Guests delivered their speech. Later the summation of the day was presented by Moderator of the event.
Mr. Alamgir Kabir in his closing speech, said “The grassroots people still have no ideas about their information rights, whereas Community Radio Boral could play a significant role in increasing the information utility, which accelerates the right level of information. Hence, we could achieve the effective results in bringing peoples’ freedom of expression of our local areas through implementation of this act”. He also emphasized on the strong commitment of the government in proper implementation of the RTI Act 2009.
At the second part of the event, a distribution of radios among 18 listeners clubs of Community Radio Boral taken place before the closing of the event.