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NGOs worried

Call for more talks before enacting foreign grants regulation act

Staff Correspondent
Fifteen leading non-governmental organisations yesterday voiced concern over some provisions in the proposed Foreign Grants (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act 2014.
In a joint statement, they urged the government to hold further discussions with representatives of NGOs and experts before having it passed in parliament.
The government had involved representatives of NGOs in the drafting of the law, and agreed to provide them with copies of the final draft before it was presented to the cabinet, the NGOs said.
But the government had gone back on its promise, and the cabinet approved the draft law in principle, leaving certain weaknesses in it. This will pose risks to a smooth and unhindered development of the NCO sector, they said.
The proposed law empowers the NCO Bureau to close down an NGO, file and conduct cases and appoint an administrator, which is illogical, said the organisations.
The NGO Bureau may have the power to stop activities of the approved project or cancel the NGO's registration with it as maximum punishment for serious violations of the law, read the statement.
In case of a specific crime, the responsibility for taking action may be given to the Anti-Corruption Commission or law enforcement agencies.
Empowering the NGO Bureau to close down an NGO or stop its all voluntary activities is in conflict with the existing laws of the land, it said.
Referring to the incorporation of the individual in the definition of foreign grants, the NGOs said it would unnecessarily expand the NGO Bureau’s scope of activities and create risks of mismanagement, harassment and irregularities through misinterpretation and misuse of the law.
They also termed negative the proposed restriction on receipt of foreign grants by individuals from a number of professions and organisations, and said such a provision is irrelevant. Amendments could be brought to the existing laws if any weakness is found in those.
The NGOs said it is appropriate and necessary to give the NGO Bureau the responsibility for inspection and audit. But it will be inappropriate to give it the task of project evaluation.
They felt that the word "evaluation" should be dropped from articles 10(1) and 10(3) of the draft law.
The NGOs called upon the authorities concerned and the parliamentary committee to have discussions with experts and representatives of NGOs before the proposed law is passed in parliament.
They said everyone wants to see transparency and accountability in the NGO sector. But, at the same time, there should not be any law that will hamper the NGOs' contribution to promoting development, human rights and good governance.
The statement was issued by, among others, Sultana Kamal of Ain O Salish Kendro, Rasheda K Chowdhury of Gonosakkhorota Obhijan, Khushi Kabir of Nijera Kori, Shaheen Anam of Manusher Jonno Foundation, Sara Hossain of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Sendees Trust and Rizwana Hasan of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association.
Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh, signed the statement on behalf of the NGOs.