Published on 4 April 2020 Published by - Md.Mehedi Hasan European University of Bangladesh Topic : NGO Sector of Bangladesh Here describe NGO Sector of Bangladesh, Overview, future of the ngo sector, problem of the ngo sector, Recommendation, Conclusion Thank you

1. WELCOME
TO OUR
PRESENTATION
NGO Sector of Bangladesh
Prepared By
-: Prepared For :-
Mushfeka Binte Kamal
Senior Lecturer
Faculty, Department of BBA
Course Name: Introduction to Business & Environment
Course code: BBA 102
Md.Mehedi Hasan
200101053
Date of Submit : 29.03.2020

2. Since the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the state has largely failed to assist the poor or reduce poverty, while
NGOs have grown dramatically, ostensibly to fill this gap. There are more and bigger NGOs here than in any other
country of equivalent size. The Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB) had a total membership of
886 NGOs/PVDOs (Private Voluntary Development Organisations) in December 1997, of which 231 were central and
655 chapter (local) members (ADAB, 1998). The ADAB Directory lists 1007 NGOs, including 376 non-member NGOs. The
NGO Affairs Bureau of the Government of Bangladesh (GOB), which has to approve all foreign grants to NGOs working
in Bangladesh, released grants worth about $250 million US dollars in FY 1996-97 to 1,132 NGOs, of which 997 are local
and 135 are foreign (NGO Affairs Bureau, 1998). NGOs have mainly functioned to service the needs of the landless,
usually assisted by foreign donor funding as a counterpoint to the state’s efforts (Lewis, 1993).
Some NGOs have shown success in providing services like education, health and microfinance to their clients and
promoting human rights- particularly women’s rights. This has been accompanied by backlash from the local elite,
religious leaders and organisations (Rafi and Chowdhury, 2000; Shehabuddin, 1999).
NGOs in Bangladesh have not originated from Grass Roots Organisations (GROs) in civil society. Rather, it is NGO
workers who set up groups, which clients then join to get microcredit and other services. Most Bangladeshi NGOs are
totally dependent upon foreign funds. The volume of foreign funds to NGOs in Bangladesh has been increasing over the
years and stood at just under 18 percent of all foreign “aid” to the country in FY 1995-96. Donors increased their
funding from 464 NGO projects in 1990-91 to 746 in 1996-97, a 60 per cent increase in six years; the total amount
disbursed showed a 143 per cent increase over the period (NGO Affairs Bureau, 1998). However, the disbursement of
funds to NGOs is highly skewed. The top 15 NGOs accounted for 84 per cent of all allocation to NGOS in 1991-92, and
70 percent in 1992-93 (Hashemi, 1995). NGO dependence on donor grants has kept the whole operation highly
subsidised by foreign capital. For example, the annual working costs of BRAC’s (Bangladesh Rural Advancement
Committee, one of the largest NGOs in Bangladesh) branch-level units are still more than three times their locally
generated income (Montgomery et al., 1996).

3. Over the past two decades Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have taken center stage all over the world
in matters pertaining to good governance, functioning of democracy, and upholding of human rights and
fundamental freedoms. They have also been at the forefront in the fight against corruption, political
partisanship and abuse of familial connections.
Some NGOs have grown an international character and their representations are present in many countries of
the world. Some of them, like Bangladesh's "Grameen Bank," or United Kingdom's "Amnesty International" or
France's "Medicines sans Frontier," have gained international acceptance, respect and recognition.
Their efforts have been mostly voluntary and have been facilitated through conviction and sincerity of purpose.
They have helped in poverty reduction, in gender empowerment, in greater access to healthcare, in the
creation of alternative avenues of employment and in the removing of the curse of illiteracy.
In Bangladesh, since the early seventies, NGOs have played a pivotal role. Over the years, they have
supplemented the role of the government and helped in opening doors and windows all over the country,
particularly in the vast rural hinterland. We have seen how the concept of micro-credit has strengthened credit
extension potential for rural women and created self-employment opportunities.
It has also assisted in the growth of micro agro-based units (horticulture), small-scale pisciculture in small water
bodies, and poultry farming. It has helped to empower women and fostered girl child education. Similarly,
certain NGOs have been remarkably successful in the spread of non-formal education and vocational training.
This has helped in the growth of skill within the population. NGOs have been the source of hope.
They have also been the cause of great frustration. Unplanned growth in this sector has led to duplication of
efforts and, sometimes, abuse of resources. Moral integrity and fiscal probity have been sacrificed in the quest
for funds and resources that are made available by foreign donors. This aspect has been the source of anxiety
among many like us.

4. Regional NGOs (specifically in Bangladesh, where I live) do not seem to be
quite professional organizations. Frankly, they are amateur and provincial.
Although there are many problems in regional NGOs, I focus on eight issues.
Eight Problems that Regional NGOs Face
1. Lack of Long-Term Strategic Planning. ...
2. Poor Cooperation with Mass Media. ...
3. Lack of Commitment. ...
4. Lack of Feedback and Social Support Suppresses Enthusiasm. ...
5.Unwillingness to Cooperate with Each Other. ...
6. Politization of NGOs. ...
7. Lack of Professional Experience of Working in a Particular Area. ...
8. Fear of Grants and International Cooperation

5. Nowadays Non-Governmental Organizations or NGOs have
become an extensively discussed theme in the third world
countries as well vastly in social business world. Bangladesh is
no exception. The NGOs have appeared as the savior of
countless number of people without food, cloth, education and
basic health facilities. Bangladesh is one of the top thirteen
underprivileged countries. With the record of being the most
densely populated country on earth and feeble manpower
competency, Bangladesh is facing massive challenge to meet up
the demand of her ever- increasing population. Hence NGOs in
Bangladesh can continue playing the role of catalyst in the
attainment of sustainable economic growth and development
provided, an endurable, warm and dependable relationship is
there between the Government and NGOs where both are
working for the benefit of the people with numerable
activities. Their main tasks are to organize these people, create
awareness in them and make them development oriented.
These organizations are working based on the assessed need
and demand of the grass root level farmers and women. By
involving the beneficiaries directly, they are working within the
context of overall national planning for development.

6. NGO Futures convene leaders
virtually and in-person to learn and
collaborate together—increasing
overall organizational adaptability
and creating a safe space for
dialogue on transformational
change.
NGO Futures also catalyzes scaling of
innovation and best practices through
leading work with partners. In a time of
both challenge and opportunity, NGO
Futures creates a pathway forward for
civil society organizations.

7. The following recommendations would improve the existing legal status of NGOs in Bangladesh, by reducing bureaucracy,
removing legal contradictions and making NGOs more accountable.
State Rules, Acts and Ordinances should be replaced or modified to reflect the current critical atmosphere.[15] The state
should remove all administrative and procedural bottlenecks created through promulgation of various Ordinances and
streamline the existing working procedures, enabling NGOs to complete all formalities within the shortest time possible.
The state should evaluate the strength and weakness of current measures for regulating NGOs and ensure promulgation of
flexible and effective rules and regulations.
1. Improving NGO Efficiency
2. Improving the Law
3. Holding NGOs Accountable

8. In Bangladesh, NGOs play a pivotal and pragmatic role when the state does
not reach the poor and meet their needs. Despite their numbers, NGOs
have brought little change in levels of poverty. Even the largest NGOs in
Bangladesh when taken together cover only a fraction of the population-
perhaps only 10-20 percent of landless households (Hasherm, 1995). This
highlights the NGO need for reaching more poor and provision of services
given the limitations of the state and the laws. So, alleviation of poverty of
the masses should be at the top of the agenda of the NGOs, state and
donors in Bangladesh.
However, the NGOs’ umbrella body (which is required to elect its executive
committee) is not broad-based. Elections to the executive committee are
often not properly held and its membership is often confined to friends and
relatives. This surely frustrates the potential of NGOs as democratic
voluntary organisations. Nevertheless, NGOs cannot function in isolation
from the mainstream of political, economic and social life in this Country.
They must conform to certain standards, adhere to state regulations and
have their work coordinated at the state level. NGOs can only complement
the state’s activity. Under the current system, the state cannot ask NGOs to
become more transparent and accountable or to cooperate more with the
state due to donor pressure. The state is very weak in Bangladesh (Wood,
1997). Instead, the state creates undue hindrances which only increase
transaction costs of NGOs without encouraging or forcing the NGOs to
respond more to the needs of the poor. But still NGOs need to be
transparent to their clients, donors and the state both functionally and
financially if they really want to represent the interests of the poor or at
least provide services to them.
Note: 1 US$ was @5 6 Taka in April 2001