Mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque has said that information is essential for empowering citizens to hold governments accountable and tackle corruption. Free flow of information will play an important role in creating transparency, ensuring accountability and reducing corruption, he added.
He said these while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day long Information Fair in Khulna on Tuesday. The KCC Mayor formally inaugurated the fair as the chief guest at Public Hall premises in the city.
Khulna district administration and Socheton Nagorik Committee (Sonac) jointly arranged the Information in a bid to create awareness on the Rights to Information (RTI) Act.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Khulna Iqbal Hossain presided over the function, while director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Khulna Md Abdul Gaffar spoke at the event as special guest, among others.
In his speech, Talukder Abdul Khaleque said that free flow of information and creating awareness on the Rights to Information (RTI) Act among the common people could largely contribute in building a corruption-free society.
He said enactment of the RTI Act is a big success of the government. If free flow of information is ensured, transparency and accountability would work to reduce corruption in establishing good governance at all levels, he added.
He called upon the government officials to work with commitments in disseminating necessary information to the common people as dictated by the law.
He also said that successful implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) act can play a vital role towards supplementing the government efforts of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The speakers said that proactive disclosure of information regarding all development works at grassroots level can ensure proper utilization of resources and put a check on corruption.
They said present government under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has adopted diversified steps to attain the goals within stipulated time.
