Dr Gowher Rizvi, international affairs adviser to the prime minister, said, “NGOs have immense contribution in the development of Bangladesh. The citizen groups have been actively engaged in their role since the birth of Bangladesh. Formation of a greater platform bringing the development organisations and civil society groups together is a positive initiative indeed. An important task of this platform will be to have in-depth research to find solutions for hunger, poverty and lack of education. It will then help build successful advocacy.” He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a virtual event organised to announce the formation of a greater platform of civil society organisations of Bangladesh.

He further viewed that the newly founded platform can play a very important role for Bangladesh to achieve its SDG 2030 targets. Bangladesh must be able to deal with these challenges more efficiently, while it advances towards graduating to a middle income country. We should now reach the disadvantaged and deprived communities with services on priority basis, Dr Rizvi said.

The event was organised on the morning today on Tuesday (22 December) with NGO Affairs Bureau director-general Md Rashadul Islam and eminent economist Professor Wahid Uddin Mahmud present as special guests.

At the virtual programme, the organisers focused on the mission, objectives and next steps of the newly founded platform. They also announced that BRAC will be its secretariat for first two years.

Having called for everyone to engage in a concerted manner in tackling COVID-19 pandemic, NGO Affairs Bureau director-general Md Rashadul Islam said collaborative efforts will take our country to the targeted position of development. The NGO Affairs Bureau will give all possible assistance in this regard, he also pledged.

“Creating a collaborative relation with the government as well as forming common platform for all the non-governmental organisations are exceedingly important tasks for ensuring inclusive development and establishing a progressive society. The service giving development organisations are a big strength for Bangladesh,” said eminent economist Professor Wahid Uddin Mahmud, who further stressed that the government has to act pro-actively for enabling the development organisations to operate with freedom while maintaining accountability and commitment.

Leaders of over 500 NGOs and civil society organisations were present at the virtual event chaired by Rasheda K Chowdhury, chairperson, Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), and former adviser to the Caretaker Government, and moderated by BRAC’s senior director KAM Morshed.

The organisers at the event said that the NGOs have become a centre of learning for the development practitioners across the world for their important role in the development of the socio-economic sectors of Bangladesh. However, despite the impressive achievements of the sector particularly in the health, education and women empowerment, effective coordination and representation remained a big challenge for the NGO sector especially in the last two decades. This problem was most seriously felt when the government, having formulated the ‘Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Law’ published it on the website of the NGO Affairs Bureau in January of 2012, and called for opinions.

In the absence of a national platform the development and civil society organisations found it difficult to discuss on the draft law and come out with concrete suggestions. This context as well as to enable the NGOs play their role more effectively in tackling the COVID situation, such a platform has become more necessary than ever.

Former BRAC chairperson late Sir Fazle Hasan Abed took special initiative in this regard and during his final days he started consultations with many NGO leaders. Inspired by his wish and effort, BRAC began the discussion anew in February of the current year (2020) and organised a series of meetings also.

The objectives of the proposed CSO platform are – Acting in collaboration with the government in finding effective solutions for the issues such as graduating to middle income country, fourth industrial revolution, climate change impact, COVID-induced challenges facing the health sector. Creating opportunity for CSOs to exchange their acquired knowledge and experience is also an objective. Celebrating together 50 years of independence of Bangladesh is also part of the objective of the new platform.

Aroma Dutta, member of parliament, Dr Fahmida Khatun, executive director, CPD, Asif Saleh, executive director, BRAC, Khusi Kabir, coordinator, Nijera Kori, Dr Maleka Banu, general secretary, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, Shahin Anam, executive director, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Sharif Jamil, general secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon, Karavi Rakhsan, founder, Jago Foundation, Farah Kabir, Bangladesh country director, Action Aid, Sanjib Drong, general secretary, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, Shafiqul Islam, representative, INGO Forum, and Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director, Bangladesh Jatiya Protibondhi Kalyan Foundation, spoke at the event, among others.

BRAC commemorates its founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed on his first anniversary of death tomorrow on Sunday (20 December). Last year (2019) he died on this day at a hospital in Dhaka.

No elaborate events, however, will be organised to commemorate the day due to the ongoing Covid situation.

BRAC and BRAC University have organised online discussion sessions, paying respect to the vision of life and values that Sir Fazle cherished in his life. All the members of BRAC staff in their commemoration remember the eternal source of inspiration that the founder will continue to be in their life. They have pledged to stand beside the poor and marginalised communities and work hand in hand to build an equal for all.

Sir Fazle established BRAC in 1972 as a small relief and rehabilitation effort carried out in a remote area of Sylhet division. That organisation transformed itself to one of the largest and effective NGOs of the world through successful socio-economic programmes in many sectors carried out in last 47 years. BRAC now stands as a unique ecosystem interweaving microfinance, social enterprises, university, bank and multidimensional investments targeting the development of the poor and marginalised people. It now provides multifaceted services to over 100 million people in 12 countries of Asia and Africa, assisting them in bringing lasting changes in their lives.

About Sir Fazle Hasan Abed
Sir Fazle was born in 1936 in Bangladesh. He studied accountancy in London, qualifying as a cost management accountant in 1962. While he was working as a senior corporate executive at Pakistan Shell Oil, the 1970 cyclone and 1971 Liberation War in Bangladesh dramatically changed the direction of his life. He left his job and moved to London, where he helped initiate Action Bangladesh and HELP Bangladesh in support of the Liberation War.

Early in 1972, after the war was over, he returned to the newly-independent Bangladesh, finding the economy in ruins. The return of 10 million refugees who had sought shelter in India during the war called for urgent relief and rehabilitation efforts. Sir Fazle established BRAC to address the needs of refugees in a remote area of north-eastern Bangladesh, guided by a desire to help people living in poverty develop their own capacity to better manage their lives.

Today BRAC is one of the largest NGOs in the world, operating across 11 countries in Africa and Asia. Its primary objective is to empower people living in poverty and inequality. In 2020, for the fifth year in a row, BRAC was ranked first among the world’s top 500 NGOs by Geneva-based NGO Advisor; based on its impact, innovation and sustainability.

Awards and Recognition
Sir Fazle was honoured with numerous national and international awards for his achievements in leading BRAC, including the Yidan Prize for Education Development (2019), LEGO Prize (2018), World Food Prize (2015), Spanish Order of Civil Merit (2014), Inaugural WISE Prize for Education (2011), David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award (2008), Inaugural Clinton Global Citizen Award (2007), UNDP Mahbubul Haq Award for Outstanding Contribution to Human Development (2004), Olof Palme Prize (2001) and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership (1980).

He has also been recognised by Ashoka as one of the ‘global greats’; and is a founding member of its prestigious Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship. He was a member of the Commission on Health Research for Development (1987-90), the Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation (1991-92), and the High-level Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor (2005-2008). In 2010, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George by the British Crown in recognition of his services to reducing poverty in Bangladesh and internationally. Sir Fazle was a member of the Group of Eminent Persons appointed by the UN Secretary-General in 2010 to advise on support for the Least Developed Countries. In 2014 and 2017, he was named in Fortune Magazine’s List of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Sir Fazle was honoured with a Dutch Knighthood in 2019.

“Bangladesh has been a distinguish exemplar on how to adapt to climate change impact and the effectiveness of responding to extreme weather events and extra ordinary achievement in reducing climate change vulnerability through adaptation”This afternoon, Thursday (10 December), the British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson made the following remarks as Special Guest of the virtual launch of the book titled ‘Building Resilience to Climate Change through Craftsmanship’, organised by BRAC Climate Change Programme. He also added, “People who are most vulnerable to climate change will be made worse off in future to due to increasing climate change impact and we have been working in Bangladesh in reducing the impact through our support in various sectors access to food, Water ,sanitation, education, health.

“BRAC with Aarong is building resilience of individual by supporting artisans in order to support their families and link the village people with commercial market making it more sustainable.”

The book illustrates the ways BRAC’s sister concern, the Ayesha Abed Foundation, works to transform communities from areas at risk from climate change into ones that are resilient. The book features stories from the lives of 14 artisans, offering an insight into their sufferings due to climate change. In addition, it also goes on to portray their lives’ struggles, and how through employment at the Ayesha Abed Foundation the artisans took opportunities to utilise and maximise on their potentials and skills.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP graced the webinar as Chief Guest. Chaired by Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC Bangladesh, the webinar was also graced by the presence of Dr Ainun Nishat, Adviser to the Center for Climate Change and Environmental Research and Ex-Vice Chancellor of BRAC University, Tamara Hasan Abed, Managing Director of BRAC Enterprises, Kate Sangster, First Secretary of the Australian High Commission and Head of DFAT, and others.

Chief Guest Saber Hossain Chowdhury remarked “This book is not just a publication. It’s a story of Bangladesh. Bangladeshis has the natural ability to confront adversity and smile”

“Climate change impact will intensify and the recurrence of the climate hazards will increase in future. It is not practically possible to completely mitigate the impact of climate change. But we can fight through it by building our resilience and that’s exactly what BRAC has been doing.”

“Aarong is helping people to help themselves in building their resilience. Occurrence of multiple hazards at the same time is always going to test our ability to adapt to the adversity imposed by climate change. Initiative like this is what sustains Bangladesh by building the resilience of its most vulnerable people”

Partaking in the discussion on the published book, Tamara Hasan Abed, Managing Director of BRAC Enterprises, said, “The book portrays the stories of Aarong’s artisan living in climate change hotspots and greatly impacted by climate change. The stories in this book resonate the deep connection Bangladesh has both with its heritage crafts and rivers that fed this land. Climate change impact is felt by us all. These are the stories of people who are worse affected by the impact of climate change and now they have learnt to adapt and live. These are stories behind the labels that many of us have hanging in our closet”.

Kate Sangster, First Secretary of the Australian High Commission and Head of DFAT, noted “Climate change affects the poorest particularly the women and girls. What’s beautiful about this book is that it shows how decent and dignified work can help vulnerable people give back the autonomy that will help them to absorb and cushion the shocks of climate change and thus build their resilience in the process.”

Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC Bangladesh and Chairperson of the webinar, reflected Bangladesh is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and the people who live in the districts showcased in this book are being hit the hardest. The stories of these artisans are testament to that, illustrating the impact that sustainable livelihoods.

Notably, the Ayesha Abed Foundation currently has 15 production centers and 696 sub-centers spread across the country where products for Aarong are manufactured. Most of these production centres are situated in areas under risk from climate change.

Book link : https://brac.net/downloads/resilience.pdf

The minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives, Md Tajul Islam, stressed that the urbanisation in Bangladesh should essentially follow the direction our prime minister has given to transform the rural areas into urban spaces. “If we cannot accommodate people migrating into the urban areas we must transform the rural areas into pre-planned urban ones,” he said.

The LGRD minister made these observations in his chief guest’s speech today on Thursday (3 December) at an online seminar on housing and livelihood development of the urban poor communities.

The minister further emphasised that only putting the rising urban population into high-rises will not provide sustainable solutions until the communication is eased, and other problems related to logistics and utilities are taken care of. Therefore, urban resilience is an absolute necessity.

The seminar titled “Pro-poor, climate and disaster resilient urban development: Challenges and opportunities” was organised by BRAC Urban Development Programme (UDP) and attended by 20 city and municipality mayors from around the country.

Asif Saleh, executive director, BRAC, Professor Dr Akhter Mahmud, president, Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), and Dr Imran Matin, executive director, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), BRAC University, also addressed the seminar, among others. Dr Ainun Nishat, Professor Emeritus, Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER), BRAC University, moderated the event. BIP, C3ER and BIGD also assisted in organising the seminar.

Professor Ainun Nishat appreciated the municipalities and city corporations of the country for their intent work on their development plans while drawing on own resources to address the growing challenges. He further said, “Empowerment of local government institutions, deliverable activities and social accountability are imperative for pro-poor, climate-resilient and sustainable urban development.”

DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam observed that many problems of the urban poor can be addressed through sustainable slum management in Dhaka city. While he asked for BRAC’s assistance in proper slum management in his jurisdiction, they mayor also stressed the importance of community members’ active involvement in monitoring the quality of service delivery of the city corporation staff.

Satkhira municipality mayor Md Tazkin Ahmed said trained and skilled manpower is essential for a municipality to do quality service delivery to its residents.

BRAC executive director Asif Saleh observed that for creating a robust and sustainable urban area empowerment and resource planning capacities of the local government bodies are two vital issues. “It’s important that the local authorities have been given the power to take actions in solving the local issues. Still there are issues of providing the mayors with planned budgets and required authority to approve action plans that need to be addressed. Though the condition of the capital city has improved from before as its mayors have more authorities now, it must also take place in all the other cities,” he further said.