United News of Bangladesh

Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Prof Dr Nahreen Islam Khan on Sunday said the Information Commission will work for the people, not for any government or particular individual, with ensuring citizens’ right to information among its top priority. She said the commission's initial tasks will be to ensure people's access to information, raise public awareness about its activities and make it easier for citizens to seek information. Nahreen made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a meeting with Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman at the Secretariat. The government on Saturday appointed Nahreen as the CIC and journalists SAM Mahfuzur Rahman and Khan Mohammad Abul Hossain as Information Commissioners. Responding to questions about the appointment of a woman as the CIC for the first time and the commission’s future activities, Nahreen said gender should not determine how a person performs their responsibilities. “What matters is the responsibility itself, not gender. The most important thing is to ensure equal priority for everyone in society,” she said. She noted that though the Information Commission had existed for the past 17 years, it had not been able to carry out any particularly significant work. The CIC expressed hope that the commission, appointed under a democratic government, will function as an independent body and ensure people's right to information. “The Information Commission is for the people. We will work for the people, not for any government or any particular individual. We will work for everyone, and our doors will remain open to all people in Bangladesh,” she said. Information Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman, who previously served as the speechwriter to Prime Minister, said he has taken on a new responsibility at an independent statutory institution. It is important to make clear how such an institution should function and serve the public, he said, adding that the right to information belongs to all citizens, not just the media. Emphasising transparency and accuracy in the flow of information, Mahfuzur Rahman said the commission will seek to promote social welfare, public welfare and the interests of the state through the transparent and responsible dissemination of accurate information. He said the commission will play an active role in meeting people's expectations regarding access to information and will stand beside citizens in exercising that right.  

Mahfuzur Rahman, Editor of the United News of Bangladesh (UNB), has been appointed as the Speechwriter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification on Monday confirming the contractual appointment. According to the notification, “SAM Mahfuzur Rahman has been appointed on a contractual basis as the Honourable Prime Minister’s Speechwriter (Grade-1), subject to his relinquishing any employment or professional engagement with any other profession, business, or government, semi-government or private institution or organisation.” The notification further stated that the appointment will take effect from the date of his joining and will remain valid for the duration of the Prime Minister’s tenure or until further orders, whichever comes first.  

UNB Editor Mahfuzur Rahman has fully recovered from Covid-19, a month after testing positive for the virus.   He returned home on Thursday afternoon from Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital in the city after 25 days of treatment.    His follow-up test result came out negative on Wednesday.   Rahman thanked the doctors, nurses, health workers and the hospital management for providing quality treatment and services.   “I hope (Covid-19) patients in other hospitals will get quality treatment to win arduous battle against coronavirus,” he said.   The UNB editor expressed gratitude to the news agency’s management, his colleagues, friends, relatives and well-wishers for keeping him in their thoughts and prayers.   Rahman underwent Covid-19 test at Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital in the city on May 26 as he had been suffering from high fever. The report came out four days later and confirmed that he had been infected with coronavirus.   He was admitted to the Holy Family Hospital on May 31 as his oxygen saturation level dropped following days of high fever and dry cough.   All of his family members tested negative for the virus.   Bangladesh health authorities confirmed the first Covid-19 cases on March 8 and the first death on March 18. In recent weeks, both the number of newly confirmed cases and deaths are spiking.   Until Wednesday, the country confirmed 122,660 coronavirus cases and 1,582 deaths.   Globally, the number of confirmed cases rose to 9,405,800 and the death toll climbed to 482,128 on Thursday, according to the Centre for System Science and Engineering of Johns Hopkins University.