On Saturday, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) expressed deep concern over the ban on providing information about patients care and health services to the media from the government hospitals.
In a statement, the anti-corruption watchdog also demanded an immediate lifting ban on providing information to the media from government hospitals by the immediate revocation of an order signed by the Dhaka District Civil Surgeon on Thursday.
Demanding for stopping corruption rather than information to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, TIB also called for strict action to be taken through an investigation against those in whose interests such restrictions were imposed instead of making all-out efforts to stem the pandemic collectively through a free flow of information.
In the statement, TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the restrictions on the disclosure of any information related to health services and patient care of the government hospitals in Dhaka district to the media is a complete violation of the constitutional right of free media and free flow of information and the Right to Information Act, 2009.
At the same time, it conflicts with the commitment of independent and objective journalism and is a deliberate obstruction of the free flow of information to the media, he added.
