What we did in Bangladesh during 2017 and 2018

Taking above in view, we have series meeting during the last part of 2016 and first six month of 2017, and we have prepared and agreed 18 points Charter of Expectations from donors, INGOs and others, finally this Charter of Expectations signed and published in October 2017 [Report]. The charter has signed by around 50 prominent national and local NGOs in Bangladesh. Later the charter have been shortened, made it 18 points demand and developed a one pager [Bangla] [English]

Main philosophy / principles behind the demand, we the local, national and international NGOs are in common space, i.e., civil society, but we have to specify our role in different level, especially in national and local level, INGOs role should be to facilitate local and national NGOs to grow as sovereign, accountable and sustainable civil society organization. Local and national NGOs will help INGOs in international level for building movement, in fact INGOs playing a great role in this regard, they need to continue this especially to challenge de-globalization of humanitarian responsibility, climate justice, equality and redistributive justice among the countries.

The charter have been placed in a public forum have held in Dhaka on 19th August 2017, the world humanitarian day, where all most all 50 NGO leaders, and round 30 INGO and UN agency leaders have had participated, the public forum have been extensively covered by media (http://coastbd.net/local-civil-society-demands-equitable-partnership-from-ingos-and-un-agencies/0 ). The public forum have had happened with the assistance of Oxfam ELNHA project, Start Fund Bangladesh, NEAR Network and ADRRN.

We have realized that, these have to be spread over whole of the country. Bangladesh is country of huge civil societies, they should be aware on all these international discourse and agreements, where prime importance given to sovereign, accountable and sustainable growth of local civil societies, for humanitarianism and development. Oxfam ELNHA project has encourage us in this regard, and we have planned to go for nine divisions. There was systematic preparation, i.e., preparation of committees in each divisions, liaison with major NGO networks like ADAB (Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh, www.adab.org.bd, ), BAPA (Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon), CDF (Credit and Development Forum, www.cdfbd.org) ), and FNB (Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh, www.ngofederationbd.net,  ), translation made of all relevant documents, training have given to all the divisional committees, liaison with government high officials in divisions. You will see all the reports including video documentation in www.bd-cso-ngo.net.

Meantime there are Rohingya influx in Coxsbazar from August 2017, local NGOs are united first for own coordination also for promotion of localization, they have formed Coxsabzar CSO NGO  Forum (CCNF, www.cxb-cso-ngo.org). We have also attached with them as some of us also  working in Cox’ Bazar district. CCNF have decided go without donor funding, but for their public events they have taken piecemeal support from IoM, ACF and Christian Aid and Oxfam ELNHA projects. CCNF succeeded to draw international attention and there was Grand Bargain mission visited during September 2018 and recommended localization of Rohingya response by next three years. ( http://coastbd.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Localization-Workstream-Mission-1.pdf)

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