Matia for central body of NGOs to ensure transparency, proper utilization of foreign funds

By AKM Moinuddin
Dhaka, Aug 8 (UNB) - Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury on Sunday
emphasized the formation of a central body of non-government
organizations (NGOs) to ensure good governance, transparency and
accountability as well as proper utilization of foreign funds.
“There should be a coordinated central body for the NGOs to ensure
good governance, transparency, accountability as well as proper
utilization of foreign funds,” she said, inaugurating a two-day
conference of NGOs titled “Together in struggle for development”.
Manusher Jonno Foundation arranged the conference at the BIAM
auditorium with its executive director Shahin Anam in the chair.
National Human Rights Commission chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman and UK’s
DFID mission head Chris Austin addressed the function as special
guests.
Addressing the function as chief guest, Agriculture Minister Matia
Chowdhury the government has been facing difficulties in
communicating with the NGOs in a coordinated way simply for the lack
of a central body of NGOS.
“NGOs have long been working on different issues. It becomes
difficult to evaluate their activities in the absence of a central
organization of the operating NGOs.”
Matia alleged that some of the NGOs do not follow up their different
service-oriented programmes. “They don’t even look into it whether
marginalized people are getting the service or not,” she said.
The Agriculture Minister hoped that the NGOs involved in distributing
government khas lands would take initiative to digitalize the land
record system.
She said: “It’ll be a landmark progress if they do so and the country’
s poor and illiterate people won’t face harassment in getting
ownership of khas land.”
DFID mission chief Chris Austin said they have now been working with
the government on three issues - accountability, women’s empowerment
and development activities. “We hope to continue working with
Bangladesh to ensure accountability and transparency.”
Dr Mizanur Rahman said the National Human Rights Commission would
remain alert about violation of human rights. “The commission will
take necessary steps if any government organization violates human
rights.”
Representatives from 125 NGOs are attending the two-day conference
which will discuss issues related to poverty alleviation, ensuring
services for poor people, climate change, constitutional right of
indigenous people, right to information, domestic violence, labour
law and children’s right.
END/UNB/AKM