Findings and Recommendations for Ngos in Bangladesh

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A.

FINDINGS

1 . Over 13,000 NGOs are registered in Bangladesh and of these

around 600 can be classified as significant development NGOs . Of

the 639 NGOs registered to receive foreign funds, 115 are

foreign-based and the balance indigenous . (A detailed analysis of

twenty five of the NGOs of most potential significance to the

Bank is provided in Appendix 1 .)

2 . The NGOs vary dramatically in size . The Grameen Bank (although

no longer a traditional NGO), is staffed by around 10,000

personnel and the Bangladesh Rural Advancement committee

(BRAG) over 5000 ; on the other hand, small and localized NGOs

are usually staffed with between 10 and 20 people .

3 . NGO operations cover virtually all the sectors (except

infrastructure) with operations predominantly focussing on

poverty alleviation, rural development, health and family

planning, education and emergency relief services .

4. NGOs have repeatedly demonstrated a capacity to involve

beneficiaries and to ensure positive and sustainable project

outcomes via the development of an institutional capacity among

the poor themselves . Because of their reputation for

effectiveness and innovation, NGOs have received increasing

levels of overseas grant funding . Currently, about US$1 50 million

is received annually of which eighty percent is channelled to the

2 5 to 30 'largest NGOs . This financing is funding about 1,000

ongoing projects .

5. The size of most NGO projects financed by external funds falls

within the range of $50,000 to $2 .5 million . However, the large

NGOs undertake massive, multi-million dollar, development

programs (e.g . the Grameen Bank lends to over 1 .2 million

beneficiaries, BRAC manages non-formal education for over

200,000 people, and