Number of NGO projects drops for tight scrutiny
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Syful Islam
The government is giving approval to the projects of non-government organisations (NGOs) after strict scrutiny, which has resulted in significant reduction in the number of projects during the July-April period of this fiscal, officials said Friday. On an average some 88 projects got approval each month during the July-April period of the current fiscal year (FY) against 98 projects a month during the corresponding period of the last fiscal. Statistics show up to April this fiscal some 882 projects got approval from the NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) while the number was 980 up to April of last fiscal year. "We are not rejecting any projects. Actually we are giving approval to the projects after strict scrutiny," NGOAB Director General Nurun Nabi Talukder told the FE. He said though the number of approved projects came down during the July-April period of this fiscal, the volume of the released fund has increased. "The number of approved projects is not a factor. How much money is released is to be considered," said Mr Talukder. The country received Tk 37.06 billion during the July-April period of the current fiscal year from abroad through the NGOs, up by Tk 4.88 billion against Tk 32.18 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal. Both the local and foreign-funded NGOs are to get registered with the NGOAB under the Foreign Donation (Voluntary Activities) Regulations Ordinance, 1978. At present some 2,558 NGOs are registered with the NGOAB. Registration of some 540 NGOs has been cancelled on various allegations. Officials said the government has of late become choosy on approving NGO projects following the developments over Grameen Bank leadership issue. That time the government asked the NGOs to strictly follow the rules about fund transfer from one project to another. Sources said the government has also become strict on approving NGO projects as it has been facing criticism from home and abroad on handling Rohingya people in Cox's Bazar. Recently the government has unofficially banned NGO activities in the Hill Tracts area as 'some of them are found to be instigating violence there'. Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder earlier told the FE that they kept some 145 NGOs in the area under strict watch. In April this year the government turned down a United Nations (UN) project involving US$ 33 million aimed at reducing poverty in Cox's Bazar after it alleged that the scheme mainly targeted the rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees in the country.
The government is giving approval to the projects of non-government organisations (NGOs) after strict scrutiny, which has resulted in significant reduction in the number of projects during the July-April period of this fiscal, officials said Friday. On an average some 88 projects got approval each month during the July-April period of the current fiscal year (FY) against 98 projects a month during the corresponding period of the last fiscal. Statistics show up to April this fiscal some 882 projects got approval from the NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) while the number was 980 up to April of last fiscal year. "We are not rejecting any projects. Actually we are giving approval to the projects after strict scrutiny," NGOAB Director General Nurun Nabi Talukder told the FE. He said though the number of approved projects came down during the July-April period of this fiscal, the volume of the released fund has increased. "The number of approved projects is not a factor. How much money is released is to be considered," said Mr Talukder. The country received Tk 37.06 billion during the July-April period of the current fiscal year from abroad through the NGOs, up by Tk 4.88 billion against Tk 32.18 billion in the same period of the previous fiscal. Both the local and foreign-funded NGOs are to get registered with the NGOAB under the Foreign Donation (Voluntary Activities) Regulations Ordinance, 1978. At present some 2,558 NGOs are registered with the NGOAB. Registration of some 540 NGOs has been cancelled on various allegations. Officials said the government has of late become choosy on approving NGO projects following the developments over Grameen Bank leadership issue. That time the government asked the NGOs to strictly follow the rules about fund transfer from one project to another. Sources said the government has also become strict on approving NGO projects as it has been facing criticism from home and abroad on handling Rohingya people in Cox's Bazar. Recently the government has unofficially banned NGO activities in the Hill Tracts area as 'some of them are found to be instigating violence there'. Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder earlier told the FE that they kept some 145 NGOs in the area under strict watch. In April this year the government turned down a United Nations (UN) project involving US$ 33 million aimed at reducing poverty in Cox's Bazar after it alleged that the scheme mainly targeted the rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees in the country.