Reg of 228 NGOs scrapped in last 4yrs

Registration of 228 NGOs has been scrapped between 2017 and 2021 due to various reasons, including violation of conditions, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque informed parliament yesterday.

Replying to a query from Jatiya Party MP Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Mozammel, also in-charge of the Prime Minister's Office in parliamentary affairs, said at present, there are 260 foreign NGOs and 2,266 local NGOs registered under the Bureau of NGO Affairs.

In a scripted reply, the minister said, according to section 14 of the Foreign Grants (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act, 2016, if any person working in an NGO violates the provisions of these laws and makes hateful and indecent remarks about the constitution and constitutional institutions, acts against the state, funding, sponsoring or supporting militancy or terrorism or involvement in trafficking of women and children and arms and drug dealing, legal action can be taken against the organisations.

He said the project name, duration, date of approval, project and area related information, allocation, actual expenditure and number of beneficiaries are verified by the NGO bureau.

The minister said, "According to the Foreign Grants Regulation Act, 2016, the Bureau of NGO Affairs also monitors voluntary activities conducted by individuals and NGOs and can form a monitoring committee. If necessary, the bureau can also appoint an external observer."