Chandra Nath Basak, Managing Director of Bangladesh NGO Foundation, is working at his office.
Chandra Nath Basak
Interview by Harun-Al-Rashid
Bangladesh NGO Foundation (BNF) cherishes a fervent desire to work for the people of Bangladesh; and, accordingly, instead of setting up nationwide establishments it has chosen Partner NGOs at grassroots level to work and elaborate the activities through providing grants towards implementation of specific programmes, said Chandra Nath Basak, Managing Director, Bangladesh NGO Foundation, in an exclusive interview with The Guardian.
In this context, the BNF Managing Director said that Bangladesh NGO Foundation (BNF) is committed to forge its aims and objectives forward in real sense; and keeping this in aim, BNF is providing grants to the small and medium sized NGOs of the country for eradicating poverty and regional disparities for last 10 years.
He informed that these NGOS and CBOs are implementing various social and economic development activities at the grass roots level across the country and as outcome of these activities 88,32000 people (56,16,0000 women and 33,06,000 men) have been directly benefitted. The Managing Director, in this context, further informed that through these activities BNF nurtures a better hope for building a better future of Bangladesh.
Dr. M Aslam Alam, Secretary of Banks and Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance, is delivering his speech in a view exchange meeting organized by BNF. Chairman of BNF A F M Yeahyea Choudhury (R) and MD of BNF Chandra Nath Basak (L) are seen present.
The Managing Director mentioned that BNF shares Prime Minister’s dream on a middle income country through poverty alleviation activities and BNF, to be a part of the said commitment, is implementing programmes relating empowerment of women, health, sanitaion, and family planning services, education, supply of arsenic free safe drinking water, solar electrification, welfare of children and adolescents, income generating activities for the poor, information and communications, welfare and rehabilitation of disabled, development of life style of the aborigines and minorities and such other activities.
He also informed that as a partner of building digital Bangladesh, the BNF has established 15 village information centers on a pilot basis, where people of various professions and students of the respective areas can avail facilities like submission of online application and collection of online information. Besides, the people get information on use of pesticides in agriculture, advice on cultivation of various crops and treating soil. The cultivators are being benefitted by getting these information. This activity would be expanded in the future.
In this context, he mentioned that BNF tele-centres are trying to take digital technology in rural areas through theme of building digital Bangladesh. BNF has participated in Digital World 2014 and 2015 and is also working in the direction set by the Prime Minister.
In an exclusive interview, BNF Managing Director Chandra Nath Basak who is also a highly experienced civil servant of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh replied to several questions, covering the activities, problems, potentials, achievements and future plans of BNF. His deliberations are quite outstanding, informative and educative as well. The excerpts of his valuable interview are presented here for The Guardian readers at home and abroad:
The Guardian: Please tell us how Bangladesh NGO Foundation (BNF) has been able to forge its aims and objectives forward in real sense.
Managing Director: The Foundation is pledge-bound to achieve all round development of the country aimed at building a poverty and hunger free Bangladesh as envisaged by the government in its perspective 2021. Keeping this aim in view, BNF has, thanks to its uninterrupted activities, been working to bring in the mainstream of development women, members of minority community, indigenous people along with marginal and helpless groups by implementing programs in such diversified fields as women empowerment and raising their awareness, protection of environment and mitigation of adverse climatic impact, development and rehabilitation of disabled people, integrated agricultural development, income generating programs, preprimary and adult education, healthcare for mother and children, supply of safe water and distribution of sanitary latrines etc. About 90.33 lac people have reaped direct benefits from these programs that have culminated in enhancing their earning capabilities side by side with raising awareness and inspiring poor and neglected people of a significant number of families who have been afforded the opportunity of freeing themselves from the clutch of acute poverty. As a corollary to this BNF is being involved in a number of programs that aim at giving comprehensive training to partner organizations for their capacity building and skill development along with establishment of rural information on centre and providing service to the suffering humanity in the time of natural disaster.
Secretary of Banks and Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance, BNF Chairman and BNF Managing Director, Additional Secretary of Banks and Financial Institutions Division, Director of Bangladesh Insurance Academy, Managing Director of Jibon Bima Corporation are seen at the Board Room of BNF amidst the BNF officers and staff.
There is no alternative to building digital Bangladesh for achieving fast track implementation of programs that aim at providing quality service after adjusting all innovative abilities for the purpose of modernizing all service sectors with the present world order that is totally dependent on technology. In the light of this BNF is also committed to implementation of all the government policies in programs undertake by it.
Bangladesh has won international recognition for its success in building a hunger and poverty free society and achieving a good number of MDGs. Committed to eradication of poverty BNF has been working tirelessly to coordinate all programs that is covered by a social security frame work aiming at poverty alleviation at a pace that is faster and promises more fruitful result.
The Guardian: In this context, would you inform us how many NGOs are now involved with the BNF activities across the country?
Managing Director: You’ll be glad to know that we have already released grants to 1116 partner organizations.
The Guardian: Would you say on what terms and conditions the NGOs are working with BNF?
Managing Director: The Foundation follows a detailed but stringent procedure based on strict impartiality to provide grants to the NGOs. It invites applications always through open advertisement in the National Dailies. A sub-committee consisting of 05 members of the Governing Board shoulders the responsibility of sorting out and selection of prospective NGOs for providing grants under specific guidelines.
An NGO will be disqualified for grants on any of the following grounds
w Did not submit the application on the prescribed form or did not attach the prescribed form with it.
w If did not obtain registration from the respective agency of government at least three years back.
w Does not have budget of its own and its activities are irrelevance to bank accounts.
w Not audited by an authorized audit firm for the last two years and latest report is not enclosed.
w The chairman or chief executive of the NGO is an office bearer of a political party.
w Activities are limited in only microcredit.
w Photocopy of both side of National ID is not enclosed.
w Previously received donation from the Foundation.
w If wrote “not applicable” in concern column of application form or any column is blank (have to write “yes” or “no”.)
w Copy of approved constitution and list of members of executive committee of NGOs are not enclosed. Meeting of executive and general committee of NGOs are not held as per constitution.
w Applied for grants out of the selected districts.
w If project proposal is not acceptable.
w Due to incomplete application.
BNF Chairman and BNF Managing Director are seen taking part in view exchange meeting with the representatives of Partner NGOs on the occasion of Grants Distribution among them (Partner NGOs
Priority will be given to the programmes for-
w Backward, rural/ remote working area,
w Tribal or indigenous people,
w Women, children and physically challenged,
w Hardcore poor,
w Far reaching health hazards viz arsenic problem,
w Family planning and solar electrification in backward area,
w Working specially in order to reduce and control diabetes, creating popular campaign on merits of brown rice and flour and demerits of toxic chemical (formalin, calcium carbide etc.) laden foods/fruits intake and uses,
w Disaster prone areas.
w Enclave areas
The Guardian: Would you also say how these NGOs are made accountable for their overall activities?
Managing Director: Partner NGOs are accountable for its overall activities to the authorities of Bangladesh NGO Foundation. Activities of the partner organizations are closely monitored by BNF officials. Moreover a panel of capable retired officers, university teachers and others has been prepared and entrusted monitoring after submission of final report.
The Guardian: In this context, would you discuss what legal and other measures are available at BNF to guide and monitor the activities of the NGOs financed by BNF?
Managing Director: After submitting the reports by the Monitoring Advisors, BNF evaluate the reports. BNF also follows guidance approved by the Governing Board causing held up of Grants or other necessary action like allocating less of grants.
The Guardian: As a matter of fact, would you discuss the institutional capacity, network and limitations of BNF?
Managing Director: Bangladesh NGO Foundation (BNF) has limited institutional capacity and network. But it needs to be expanded.
The Guardian: In this context, would you also tell us what roles the BNF Governing Board, especially the concerned ministry is playing to extend the activities and resolve the limitations of BNF?
Managing Director: Mainly, Governing Board ensures sound management and administration of the affairs of the Foundation in accordance with the Articles of Association and the Rules and By-Laws. It shall have the responsibility to approve projects and make grants and advances to partner organizations.
The Managing Director visits activities of Partner NGOs of Tangail District and exchanges his views with the representatives of Partner NGOs on the occasion of his visit.
Governing Board shall have the responsibility to determine the direction and scope of activities of the Foundation. Main activities of the Foundation are
w To consider the annual budget for submission to General Body for approval;
w To prepare annual report;
w To receive and have custody of the funds and the sources of the Foundation;
w To incur expenditure as per the approved budget;
w To enter for and on behalf of the Foundation into agreements.
w To appoint boards, committees, sub-committees and panels, consisting of persons who may or may not be members of the Foundation or employees of the Foundation to deal with any specific task as may be determined by the Governing Board of the Foundation.
Concerned ministry i.e. the Ministry of Finance touched with BNF to extend the poverty alleviation activities. Government is very concerned for social safety net programmes and allocated grants for enhancing the poverty alleviation activities.
The Guardian: In this context, would you discuss the achievements of BNF?
Managing Director: BNF has notable achievements in the last decade. These are as follows:
Building Digital Bangladesh: As a partner of building digital Bangladesh, the BNF has established 15 village information centers on a pilot basis. People of various professions and students of the respective areas can avail facilities like submission of online application and collection of online information. Besides, the people get information on use of pesticides in agriculture, advice on cultivation of various crops and treating soil. The cultivators are being benefitted by getting these information. This activity would be expanded in the future.
Eradication of poverty and regional disparities
BNF is providing grants to the small and medium sized NGOs of the country for eradicating poverty and regional disparities for the last 10 years. These NGOs and CBOs are implementing various social and economic development activities at the grass roots level. Under these activities, 88,32000 people (56,16,0000 women and 33,06,000 men) have been directly benefitted.
Development of women
With a view to developing and empowering the women, they are being trained on sewing, handicrafts and various income generation activities. They are also being aware about their rights, evils of dowry, repression of women and children, child marriage, etc. BNF is trying to extend activities relating development and empowerment of women.
Special Programmes
BNF has repaired 3 mosques and constructed 73 pucca houses at Sidor (2007) affected houses of village Donagram of Boloibunia Union under Morrelgonj upazila of Bagerhat district. 127 families of Borguna, Patuakhali and Pirojpur Districts, who lost their cows during the Sidor have been given cows.
Similarly 95 families of the said districts who lost their boats and fishing nets have been given fishing nets and boats for their earning. Besides these activities, BNF has distributed 11,860 blankets amongst breast feeding mothers and old men and women of poor families of Northern districts during severe cold in the winter of 2009.
Recently BNF has installed 50 tube-wells and 100-set latrines among the 150 families in September 2014 after divested flood affected 4 villages of Kalihati upazila of Tangail.
The Managing Director visits the office of Pally Unnayn Prakalpo, Bogra and he is writing his comment in the visitor book at their office.
The Guardian: Keeping this in mind, would you also disclose the future plans of BNF?
Managing Director: If BNF gets more financial supports, we have a plan to include 500 to 600 new NGOs and CBOs every year to extend its activities, keeping consistence with the programme of the government. Besides, providing grants to 1116 partner NGOs would continue.
The Guardian: You know the present government, especially our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina dreams of a middle income country as well as a digital Bangladesh in 2021. In this context, what is being done by BNF?
Managing Director: BNF shares our Honorable Prime Minister’s dream on a middle income country through poverty alleviation activities. BNF, to be a part of the said commitment, is implementing programmes relating empowerment of women, health, sanitation, and family planning services, education, supply of arsenic free safe drinking water, solar electrification, welfare of children and adolescents, income generating activities for the poor, information and communications, welfare and rehabilitation of disabled, development of life style of the aborigines and minorities and such other activities.
BNF tele-centres are trying to take digital technology in rural areas through the theme of building digital Bangladesh. BNF has participated in Digital World 2014 and 2015. BNF is also working in the direction set by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Guardian: As an experienced civil servant, what do you think about the future of Bangladesh?
Managing Director: The country will do very well in poverty reduction and human development and the people will be encouraged by these achievements. As an emerging and developing country, next generation will enjoy the high standards of living. People will stay at home in order to lead a good life instead of moving to another country.
The Guardian: In this context, what is personal suggestion for this?
Managing Director: Our main resource is labour force, which can be productivity utilized through good education and training.
The Guardian: As chief executive of BNF, would you also suggest what more realistic steps the NGOs should undertake to attain the goal of a middle income Bangladesh?
Managing Director: A factor that is likely to be important in expanding Bangladesh’s relative success in attaining positive social outcomes is the work of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Bangladesh may be the world’s leader in using NGOs as vehicle of development.
The Managing Director visits the activities of Pratibandhi Surzasathi, Savar and exchanges his views with the disabled beneficiaries.
The Guardian: In the end, please give your valuable message for all concerned with BNF activities and also for the people of the country?
Managing Director: BNF cherishes a fervent desire to work for the people. Instead of setting up nationwide establishments it has chosen Partner NGOs at grassroots level to work and elaborate their activities. BNF provides grants towards implementation of specific programmes to attain its cherished goal. The Foundation nurtures a better hope for building a better tomorrow. And the Foundation wishes these a continuous progress so that it can reach desired goal with steadfast devoting and fixing the priority of its purpose.
