Transparent and competitive process in NGO selection to facilitate good governance

German donors has given a big fund to our nationally origin INGO to fund local NGOs for adaptation work in climate hotspots.

We have applied there during first quarter of 2021. Around 3 months after application, I have communicated my friend who have joined there as Chief, just wanted to know, what are the weakness that we have not been selected. But, he did not responded. Recently I have raise the issue in a group mail and there, he has shown some causes.

Due to our campaign in Coxsbazar on Rohingya response; Australian Aid, German and Canada govt. has given a fund to the same nationally origin INGO. 

They have given the fund to local NGOs in Coxsbazar but there was nothing on circular etc. in this regard.

We also applied to IRC and WFP long time ago, even we pleaded to them, to give a regret letter mentioning our weakness, so that we will be able to improve our management in future. But it was in vain.

There are some agency especially Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), who maintain policy based transparent and competitive process. Even they use local language for project submission. NGOs are happy in this regard.

In general in whole sector, there are hardly any policy based transparent and competitive practice in this regard. What is happening is simply a cronyism and thus which are corruption. NGOs are part of the society, if they maintain democratic practice of transparency and competitiveness, then it is also an impetus to promote democratic society.

I know why donors give such pooled fund through big nationally origin INGOs for disbursement, as they want strong fiduciary management. They do not want to take risks in this regard. But there are not only example of MJF, much more example could be created.

I know the sincerity of international agencies for civil society development in Bangladesh. But they have to understand that civil society movement should not be monopolized. The national origin INGOs hardly have any civil society mobilization experience in this regard. Now the civil society movement have to be dispersed and decentralized.

No one can deny that, donors has a great role and contributions to promote democratic and human right based civil society in Bangladesh. So again, we request donor community and international agency to play the same role. They must ensure that their funding should be disbursed through a policy and criteria based selection process which is transparent and competitive. In this way, there will be a competition of good governance and effectivity among NGOs.