World Bank for more tranparency in Bangladesh NGOs

DHAKA, May 15 (Reuters) - The World Bank has questioned the way Bangladesh's estimated 2,000 non-governmental organisations are run and called for regulatory reforms to ensure financial transparency.

''We find that fiduciary weaknesses within several NGOs and the lack of a certification system that distinguishes reliable NGOs from fly-by-night entities are key constraints to a proven service delivery model,'' the bank said in a report obtained by Reuters today.

It said laws relating to internal governance and financial accountability of NGOs were inadequate. ''... there is a need for regulatory reform and financial accountability improvements,'' said the report that is to be made public tomorrow.

Some of the non-governmental organisations in impoverished Bangladesh are among the biggest in the world, employing tens of thousands of people and with multi-million dollar budgets.

They run micro-credit programmes to help millions rural poor, mainly women.

The World Bank report questioned the way NGOs are registered and regulated in the country and said there was a need for more transparency in the system through uniform accounting standards and other measures.

It said the government could consider setting up an independent commission to take over the functions of the bodies that currently regulate NGOs.

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