Legal manual for civil society orgs launched jointly by BD, USA, UK

FE Report | February 19, 2020 00:00:00

US Ambassador in Bangladesh Earl Miller addressing the launching ceremony of new Legal Manual for Civil Society Organisations in Bangladesh in the city recently. UK Department for International Development (DFID) Senior Governance Adviser Aislin Baker and Bangladesh Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anisul Huq were present

The USA, UK and Bangladesh have jointly launched a new legal manual for civil society organisations in Bangladesh to help Bangladeshi civil society organisations carry out their missions more effectively.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller, UK Department for International Development (DFID) Senior Governance Adviser Aislin Baker and Bangladesh Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Anisul Huq launched the manual through an event held on Monday, a US Embassy press release said on Tuesday.

The US government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), partnered with the UK's DFID to publish the manual, which was developed by the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, an international non-profit organisation with technical input from Bangladeshi civil society representatives.

The manual will help the local civil society groups understand laws and procedures required to obtain legal status in Bangladesh, serving as a roadmap to help them navigate the Bangladeshi legal environment.

Ambassador Miller noted that the civil society plays an important role as an essential channel in communication between citizens and government and in advocating for civil and human rights for all.

He reiterated the US government's commitment to strengthening civil society and supporting citizen responsive governance, as evidenced by the funding of the manual.

Law Minister Anisul Huq also underlined the importance of the legal manual and the need for advancing civil society and government cooperation.

The US government, through USAID, has provided more than $7 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh since 1971.

In 2019, USAID provided over $200 million to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh through programmes that expand food security and economic opportunity, improve health and education, promote democratic institutions and practices, protect the environment, and increase resilience to climate change.

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