Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed informed parliament on Monday that the NGO Affairs Bureau cancelled the registrations and shut down the operations of 722 non-governmental organizations between 2009 and 2024.
He stated that the registrations of the NGOs were cancelled for various reasons. These included failing to apply for renewal within the stipulated time, embezzling funds through the forgery of signatures, violating conditions imposed during registration and subsequent lawful directives of the Bureau, and submitting fake or forged Letters of Intent (LOI).
The minister made this statement in a scripted reply to a question from Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawmaker Md Jalal Uddin, who represents the Kishoreganj-2 constituency.
Salahuddin Ahmed stated that non-governmental organizations were playing an important role alongside the government in improving the country's socio-economic condition.
Since the establishment of the NGO Affairs Bureau in 1990, the Bureau, which operates under the Prime Minister's Office, has been coordinating voluntary project activities undertaken by non-governmental organizations that receive foreign donations, he said.
He stated that non-governmental organisations were playing an important role in implementing the current government's election manifesto and in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The minister stated that the Bureau was coordinating various NGO projects, specifically focusing on poverty alleviation, ending hunger, public health, quality education, gender equality, addressing climate change risks, preventing violence against women, ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation, and promoting sustainable development.
He said the NGO Affairs Bureau carries out various activities under its own rules and relevant government regulations, including the registration of new NGOs, the renewal of registrations, the approval of projects, the release of funds, and the monitoring, evaluation, and supervision of projects undertaken by NGOs.
Why it matters
The cancellation of 722 NGO registrations underscores heightened governmental oversight and regulatory enforcement within Bangladesh's non-profit sector.