Government- NGO collaboration
There has been considerable debate on the role of NGOs not only in Bangladesh but also all over the world. Nowadays NGOs are regarded as the third executive arm of the government. Bureaucrats are called the first executive arm as they are recruited to implement the policies and decisions taken by the government. They are an inseparable part of the government. Again NGOs are working according to their own plans and programmes. NGOs are playing their role differently. Sometimes they work as partner and sometimes as an implementing agency. Special advantages of NGOs are that they have access to the grassroots. NGOs are realising the fact that in order to scale up their activities at national level there is no alternative but to get involved with the government. Some contributions of NGOs create an opportunity for the government- NGO collaboration. Because balanced development is a complex undertaking that cannot be achieved by a single sector.
There are different projects where the government and NGOs work collectively to meet up any crisis.
Sometimes NGOs assist the government in designing operational plans. Regarding project design and approval the government always dominates, whereas both the government and NGOs participate at the time of implementation. In respect of poverty alleviation core instruments of NGO programmes involve microcredit, skill development and employment generation. About 1,000 NGOs are engaged in micro-finance operations.
A few weeks ago cyclone Aila struck southern Bangladesh. Aila affected people are facing severe shortage of drinking water. Moreover, they are starving as they are unable to cook foods. Diarrhoea has been spreading along with other water-borne diseases. The government and NGOs are providing relief and rehabilitation assistance collectively.
Only two decades ago it was believed that social problems could be resolved exclusively by the government. Subsequently, the role of the government was reduced as NGOs started their operations in different fields. So all out development can be ensured only through collaboration between the government and NGOs.
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