7138 evsjv‡`k †M‡RU, AwZwi³, A‡±vei 29, 2009 Right to Information Act, 2009 Act. No. XX of 2009 An Act to make provisions for ensuring free flow of information and people’s right to information. Whereas freedom of thought, conscience and speech is recognized in the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as one of the fundamental rights and right to information is an inalienable part of freedom of thought, conscience and speech; and Whereas all powers of the Republic belong to the people, and it is necessary to ensure right to information for the empowerment of the people; and Whereas if the right to information of the people is ensured, the transparency and accountability of all public, autonomous and statutory organisations and of other private institutions constituted or run by government or foreign financing shall increase, corruption of the same shall decrease and good governance of the same shall be established; and Whereas it is expedient and necessary to make provisions for ensuring transparency and accountability in all public, autonomous and statutory organisations and in other private institutions constituted or run by government or foreign financing; it is hereby enacted as follows :⎯ Chapter 1 Introductory 1. Short title and commencement.⎯(1) This Act may be called the Right to Information act, 2009. (2) Of this Act⎯ (a) all the sections except sections 8, 24 and 25 shall be deemed to have come into force on 20 October, 2008; and (b) sections 8, 24 and 25 shall come into force on 1 July, 2009.