Registration of 722 NGOs cancelled in 15 years over fraud and breach of conditions

The NGO Affairs Bureau has cancelled the registration of 722 non-governmental development organisations in Bangladesh over the past 15 years and shut down all their activities, over serious allegations including irregularities, embezzlement through forged signatures and violations of regulations. The punitive measures were taken against these organisations between 2009 and 2024.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed formally disclosed the information on Monday, in a written reply to a question from Member of Parliament Advocate Md. Jalal Uddin during the fourth session of the National Parliament. The session was presided over by Speaker Major (retired) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram.

In his written reply in Parliament, the home minister set out the specific reasons for cancelling the registrations. He said the organisations were blacklisted and shut down after offences were proven, including failing to apply for renewal within the prescribed time, embezzling grant money through forged signatures, violating the conditions accepted at the time of registration and lawful directives later issued by the bureau, and submitting fake or forged letters of intent.

The NGO Affairs Bureau works within its own policy and a defined framework of government rules, carrying out the registration of new NGOs, renewal of expired registrations, approval of foreign-funded projects, release of funds, and monitoring and supervision of overall project implementation.

Referring to the role of NGOs alongside the government in the overall socio-economic development of Bangladesh, the minister said that since the bureau was established in 1990, it has worked under the Prime Minister's Office to coordinate the voluntary activities of foreign-funded NGOs in the country.

He added that non-governmental development organisations are making a notable contribution to the present government's main goals, the implementation of its election manifesto and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

In particular, the minister said, NGOs are playing an important role in building a sustainable state, including poverty alleviation at the grassroots, freedom from hunger, protection of public health, expansion of quality education, gender equality, tackling the grave risks of climate change, preventing violence against women, and improving safe water and sanitation systems.

However, it was made clear in Parliament that the government's strict stance will continue against organisations engaged in unlawful activities. Organisations whose registrations have been cancelled will no longer be able to run any foreign-funded projects.

The disclosure gives a picture of the steps the government has taken over the past decade and a half to bring discipline to the NGO sector. According to the minister's reply in Parliament, action is taken against an organisation whenever irregularities are proven.

Organisations under the supervision of the NGO Affairs Bureau must comply with the conditions of their registration. Breaching the conditions blocks renewal, and when serious offences are proven, the ultimate step of cancelling the registration is taken.