Advocacy or Development? An Inquiry into the Activities of Environmental NGO’s in Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to find out the role of environmental NGOs on advocacy or development in different areas of Bangladesh. A total of 61 environmental NGOs were selected from four different geographical regions like north bengal, south-west part, coastal areas and central Dhaka. Field survey was conductcd to establish the study and surveyed on NGOs key personnel and different professionals. From the result, it was found that from 61 NGOs, most of them initially establish as development organization but 55 NGOs changed their views and now working as environment sectors. From the result, it was found that out of 61 NGOs, 36 NGOs collect fund from internal sources and 25 are collect fund from external sources and 40 NGOs are involved to spend money as bribe for funding. For advocacy, the NGOs are involved on environment and development of people like climate change, water contamination, social corruption, women torturing, early marriage and population increasing. NGOs are using media, seminar, rally, poster display to support the advocacy. The NGOs fire also doing the awareness of the people on various environmental acts by the ministry of environment and forest, GoB. 56 NGOs deals with health, fisheries and population, 49 deals with plantation and sanitation. However, 53 NGOs are working on both environment and development, only 4 NGOs are working for environment and 4 are working for only development. After advocacy it was also revealed from the study that out of 61 NGOs, 38 and 49 organizations have the good relations with government and donor agency respectively. From the study it could conclude that all the NGOs of different regions of Bangladesh are involved on both development and advocacy but they are working on mostly development rather than advocacy which is key issue in developing country like Bangladesh