‘Civil society engagement will ensure better implementation of govt projects’
Civil society and elected public representatives must engage for the effective implementation of development projects that often see irregularities amid poor oversight, said speakers at a seminar today.
Sustainable development would hardly be achieved through the existing development planning and implementation paradigm, they said at the seminar jointly organised by COAST Foundation and the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihood (CSRL) at a city hotel today.
"The government approves thousands of development projects every year but the Internal Monitoring & Evaluation Division (IMED) is unable to ensure effective monitoring of those projects," said Aminul Hoque of COAST Foundation in the keynote presentation.
"Civil society engagement during project implementation and monitoring could, therefore, increase their quality and effectiveness," he said.
He proposed having a legal framework for all ministries and development authorities to engage civil society while they develop and implement their projects.
Cox's Bazar-2 MP Asheq Ullah Rafiq said civil society works as the fourth eye of a country and creates awareness on irregularities and ensures accountability and transparency. "We should strengthen this stake with proper law and regulatory framework".
"We need a better coordination with the current government committees at local level to strengthen civil society mechanism," said Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication CEO Bazlur Rahaman.
Advocate Alamgir Hossain from Rangpur said government official and local contractor do not welcome civil society engagement in project implementation monitoring, therefore, a legal framework is imperative.
COAST Trust Executive Director Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said the government will have to focus on to strengthening the institutional monitoring capacity by deploying more human resources according to the number of the projects being implemented.
"Civil society will be a supportive and complementary force to make them effective," he said.
Comments