BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

THE STATE OF NGO ACCOUNTABILITY: TWO CASE STUDIES FROM BANGLADESH

Author: Mohammad Mohabbat Khan

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/BIISSj2002v23n4a4

ABSTRACT

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are a global phenomenon. The size, area of coverage and spending capacity of NGOs have registered significant increase. Consequently, their impact on government, economy and society remains considerable. As a result, holding NGOs accountable for their activities has become critical. For NGOs accountability can be multiple. In reality holding NGOs accountable is not an easy task. Research in this important area has been few. Successful models of some big NGOs in Bangladesh in the areas of micro credit, non-formal education and primary health care are being replicated in other developing countries. NGOs playa dominant role in the polity. also They cover majority of the villages in the country, receive and disburse billions of taka as credit to rural poor and continue to pioneer innovative programmes. In Bangladesh, NGO accountability has both internal and external dimensions. Internal accountability mechanisms include a governing body and an executive committee. A system of downward accountability of the NGOs to the poor has not been developed. Externally, NGOs are accountable to the government and donors. Case studies of two NGOs -BRAC and ASA -confirm that both internal and external mechanisms are in place. At the end of the paper accountability is linked to the concept of governance and the role NGOs can play in the process of operationalizing the key precepts of good governance to help the poor to fight for their rights.