Despite challenges, NGOs' role in Covid response praiseworthy: TIB

Despite facing multiple challenges, especially in raising funds, non-government organisations played a praiseworthy and active role in Covid-19 response in the country, Transparency International Bangladesh's Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said today.

Apart from some exceptions, overall, the NGOs kept themselves above irregularities and corruption and played an active role from their own position and as an auxiliary force to the government, he said, while addressing a virtual press conference marking the launch of a TIB study report.

"They stood beside people in need, especially they were able to play an active role in ensuring wellbeing of the marginalised, poor and disadvantaged groups," he said.

Iftekharuzzaman said, in their study they have found that nearly 78 percent of NGOs surveyed launched their Covid-19 response initiatives between March and June 2020.

Others' delay was largely due to delay in fund-raising, he said, adding the NGOs raised funds for Covid-19 response from their regular resources or ongoing projects.

According to the TIB report "The Role of Non-government Organisations in Response to Covid-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Way Forward", international, national and local NGOs are involved in various types of Covid-19 response initiatives in Bangladesh including awareness programme, distribution of health safety kits, relief distribution, emergency cash assistance, food assistance and relief, Covid-19 related healthcare services, and burial and funeral of the dead.

The study was conducted on 74 NGOs (nine international, 23 national, and 42 local) operational across the country between July, 2020 and December, 2021.

About 66.2 percent of the organisations participating in the study faced obstacles or challenges at the field level in undertaking and implementing the programmes, says the report.

The challenges include raising funds for Covid-19 response, selecting beneficiaries, reaching remote areas, and cooperation of local representatives.