The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and Management & Resources Development Initiative jointly hosted a workshop on the “Value and Use of RTI in Media” in Dhaka earlier today.The workshop sought to help Bangladeshi media understand and effectively use the Right to Information (RTI) Act to hold authorities accountable and enhance media reportage on critical issues.

Among those who spoke at the program were Mahfuz Anam, Editor, The Daily Star; Sanjoy Hazarika, Director, CHRI; Dr. Shamsul Bari Chairman, Research Initiatives Bangladesh; Shyamlal Yadav, Senior Editor, The Indian Express; Venkatesh Nayak , Coordinator, Access to Information Programme, CHRI; Maja Daruwala, Senior Advisor, CHRI and Hasibur Rahman, Executive Director of MRDI. The session was moderated by Syed Ishtiaque Reza, Director, News and Current Affairs, Ekattor TV.

In the discussion, it was noted that Bangladesh’s RTI Act of 2009 had opened up opportunities for journalists to gather information from authorities and develop in-depth and objective reports for the media. Speakers underscored the importance of RTI law to strengthen investigative reporting, and urged journalists to report news accurately and objectively, without fear or favour.

34 newsroom managers and journalists from in and outside Dhaka participated in the day long workshop.