The attitude of many government officials towards NGOs have been largely ambivalent. While official pronouncements highlight the role of NGOs/RPOs, government policies restrict the participation of the NGOs/RPOs in the mainstream of development.
"Government attitudes have been found to be ambivalent. While on the other hand, the government in their successive five year plan categorically emphasized the participation of NGOs in national development, they on the other hand, promulgated a number of regulatory laws to control NGO activities, inhibiting their smooth operation. The government bureaucracy and political elites tend to exhibit a strong bias against the NGOs and most often, create bottlenecks to impede their activities. Perhaps, this may be attributed to the very nature of the government and the existing socio-economic and political structures which have been mostly autocratic and non- democratic in nature. However, in recent years there have been some collaborative national ventures which have been successfully undertaken by both NGOs and the Government.
Apparently, government is afraid that the growing number of NGOs and POs may lead to the creation of countervailing power blocs and eventually, the take-over of government functions. But these negative perceptions towards NGOs/RPOs by the government have been unfounded.
Below are several government legislations and regulatory laws which exhibit government's strong tendency to regulate and control the activities of the NGOs/RPOs in Bangladesh:
Table 2
Indicating the Policy Environment for
NGOs/RPOs in Bangladesh
|
Key Issues/Legal Constraints |
Year |
|
1) Issues on Orientation |
|
|
· GO must approve any amendments to an NGO's constitution |
1961 |
|
2) Financial Dimension |
|
|
· NGOs must formally register with gov't. in order to receive foreign aid |
1978 |
|
· NGO must report any foreign aid received to GO |
|
|
· NGOs must obtain GO approval in order to use foreign aid |
1978 |
|
· NGOs must file an annual report with the government |
1982 |
|
· Donors must obtain GO approval for any foreign contributions to NGO |
1961/1978 |
|
· Foreign aid in foreign currency must be deposited with Central Bank or GO - specified Bank |
1982/1983 |
|
|
|
|
· Central Bank provides bi-annual report on all NGO foreign currency accounts to key GO agencies |
1978 |
|
· GO has the authority to monitor and audit NGO accounts |
|
|
· GO review required for an NGO's annual budget |
1978 |
|
|
1988 |
|
3) Organizational Dimension |
|
|
· NGO must formally register with GO to operate legally |
1961 |
|
· GO project approval required for NGO operations |
1986 |
|
· GO has the authority to monitor and inspect NGO projects and activities |
1978 |
|
· NGO must report and get approval for any expatriate involvement in its operations |
1982/1988 |
|
· GO has the authority to remove and appoint new board members to govern an NGO |
1961 |
|
· GO has the authority to suspend and dissolve NGOs |
1961 |
|
· Voluntary NGO resolution requires GO approval |
1961 |
These aforementioned legal constraints initiated by the government to regulate and control NGO's development activities in the areas of orientation, financial and organizational dimensions seem to signify government's general lack of trust and appreciation of the developmental NGOs.
