Staff Reporter :
Civil society leaders at a seminar on Saturday highlighted the urgent need to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles and ensure free and independent spaces for raising their voices.
The event, held at the CIRDAP Auditorium in the city, was organised by the COAST Foundation, CDP, and the BDCSO Process as part of the 4th Monitoring Round of the Global Partnership on Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC).
The seminar, chaired by AHM Jahangir, Additional Secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and National Coordinator of GPEDC’s 4th Monitoring Round, was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Executive Director of the COAST Foundation and South Asia Civil Society focal point for GPEDC.
Dr Sohel Iqbal of the COAST Foundation delivered the keynote presentation,
while distinguished participants, including Jahangir Hossain Masum from CDP, Ziaul Haque Mukta from CSRL, Luca De Fraia, Co-Chair of GPEDC, Ben Morgan, UNRC Representative, and Sardar M Asaduzzaman, UNDP Assistant Resident Representative, also addressed the audience. Several civil society leaders underscored the importance of removing bureaucratic barriers that prevent local organisations from effectively contributing to development goals.
Ziaul Haque Mukta stressed that civil society organisations (CSOs) should critically evaluate not only government policies but also political entities, reflecting the rich history of civil society movements in Bengal.
Luca De Fraia remarked that an independent and proactive civil society is crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Dr Sohel Iqbal presented an overview of key achievements from past international conferences, highlighting five principles from the Kampala Conference: local ownership, result orientation, accountability, transparency, and leaving no one behind.
Jahangir Hossain Masum elaborated on the monitoring tools employed by GPEDC, while Dr Rezaul Bashar Siddique and Abul Kalam Azad from ERD emphasised the importance of maintaining the nonpartisan nature of CSOs.
Ben Morgan and Sardar M Asaduzzaman commended Bangladesh’s proactive engagement with GPEDC, while KAM Morshed from BRAC called for reforms to enhance development effectiveness.
Grassroots NGOs raised concerns about donor practices that often bypass funding for local organisations, thereby hampering the growth of civil society at the grassroots level.
Gawher Nayeem Warha from the Disaster Forum and Sharif Jamil, a noted environmental and climate activist, criticised government agencies and district-level officials for creating obstacles related to registration and funding clearances for local CSOs.
Warha further highlighted how such bureaucratic challenges undermine the ability of grassroots organisations to fulfil their missions.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the seminar moderator, shared positive examples of government policies influenced by civil society movements. However, he stressed the continued need for open and free spaces where civil society can operate effectively.
In his closing remarks, AHM Jahangir called for collective action towards reform, urging civil society, the government, and other stakeholders to work together to build a reformed Bangladesh where voices can be raised freely for meaningful change.
