NGOs decry delay in Rohingya relief project clearance

NGOs running Rohi-ngya relief programs got none of their fresh projects cleared by the government authorities over the past one month, alleged leaders of the non-government organizations. Briefing newsmen at Jatiya Press Club yesterday, the NGO leaders said they didn't get 'no objection' clearance against their projects since mid-November. They urged the government authorities concerned to give approval to all pending and new projects within 24 hours.

They said if the projects are not cleared soon, all NGO relief works will be stopped and around 3 to 4 thousands local workers involved in relief activities  will not get their salaries.  The NGO leaders said local, national and international organizations have been implementing Rohingya relief projects since last August taking approval from the NGO Affairs Bureau (NGOAB) but suddenly in the second week of November government gave new instruction for NGOs.

"According to government's instruction, all Rohingya related project proposals from NGOs will have to take no objection security clearance from Public Safety Department of the ministry of Home Affairs," they said. For international NGOs such 'no objection' certificate is must both from the Foreign Affairs and Home Ministries, they said.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice president SM Nazer Hossain, CEO and chairman of Programme for Helpless And Lagged Societies (PHALS) Abu Murshed Chowdhury, Coastal Association for Social Transformation Trust executive director M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and ADAB director AKM Jasim Uddin spoke in the press conference.