Govt-NGO-private sector partnership needed: Finance Minister

Minister for Finance and Planning Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has stressed the need to establish strong and institutional partnerships among NGOs, the private sector and the government, while calling for time-bound measures to ensure sustainable financing for NGOs.

He made the call as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Beyond Foreign Dependence: The Future of NGO Financing in Bangladesh” at the conference room of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) on Tuesday.
The finance minister said the government was working to address various crises facing the country and ensure accountability.

“We do not just want to listen to the problems; we want to respond to them effectively,” he said.

He said an integrated framework was needed for human development, preservation of local culture and greater private-sector participation.

Noting that NGOs and other stakeholders were already working in various areas, including the creative economy, he said these partnerships needed to be given a more institutional and policy-oriented form.

Emphasising the importance of strong institutional partnerships among NGOs, the private sector and the government, Amir Khosru said NGOs play a vital role in delivering government services directly to people at the grassroots level.

He said policies should be formulated and implemented within specific timeframes to create a sustainable financing environment for NGOs.
Highlighting traditional local handicrafts such as Shital Pati, the minister said Bangladesh needed to take such products to international markets through modern designs, value addition and stronger marketing.

He also stressed the importance of ensuring value for money, returns on investment, employment or entrepreneurship generation, and environmental considerations and protection when approving development projects.

“No project will be approved unless these four conditions are met,” he said.
Planning State Minister Md Zunaid Abdur Rahim Saki, Planning Division Secretary SM Shakil Akhter and others attended the seminar.