The legal environment in Bangladesh is complex. Several acts govern the registration and operations of different types of civil society organizations. In some cases, the same organization can be registered under different laws and with several authorities. In an environment of increasing regulatory restrictions, civil society organizations that do not know their legal rights or fail to comply with existing legislation are extremely vulnerable.

In 2019, ICNL conducted a civil society needs assessment in Bangladesh. We received input from over 400 civil society organizations on the key legal and practical challenges they face. A big issue that came to light was the sector’s frustration stemming from limited legal awareness and understanding about their rights and obligations under the country’s complex legal framework.

To address this, ICNL partnered with Counterpart International Inc. (CPI) to develop a legal manual. The manual aims to help Bangladeshi civil society organizations carry out their missions more effectively by clearly laying out the laws and procedures governing registration, governance, funding, and other aspects of the organizational life-cycle.

Importantly, the manual was created through dialogue between civil society and the government. It was prepared with input and guidance from a technical review panel, consisting of experts from both sectors. Working together, they were able to build trust, strengthening their relationship, and laying the foundation for future collaboration.

On 16 February 2020, ICNL and CPI launched the manual at an event called Building Bridges between Civil Society and Government. The event was held in Dhaka, with nearly 100 attendees from both the government and civil society, as well as international organizations.

Special guests from donor organizations, government, and non-governmental sectors also attended, including Mr. Anisul Huq, Minister, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Ambassador to Bangladesh Mr. Earl Miller, and UK Department for International Development (DFID) Senior Governance Adviser Ms. Aislin Baker.

“My belief is the manual will help Bangladeshi civil society grow stronger, more transparent, and more accountable to all Bangladeshis. And that it will give civil society groups the knowledge and tools to become more responsive to the needs of those they serve and more effective at building bridges with the public sector,” Ambassador Miller said at the launch.

Law Minister Anisul Huq emphasized the importance of the legal manual and the need for advancing civil society and government cooperation by his remarks – “Although the legal framework is in place, there is still a need to strengthen NGOs capacity to fill their role.”

The launch event included a plenary discussion about how to maintain an enabling environment for civil society and promote democratic governance. The discussion included members of the manual’s drafting committee, including Ms. Aroma Dutta, Member of Parliament, Mr. K S Abdus Salam, DG NGO Affairs Bureau, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Attorney & Environmentalist and Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Country Director, Transparency International Bangladesh.

ICNL in partnership with the CPI under the Promoting Advocacy and Rights (PAR) activities, developed the Legal Manual for Civil Society Organizations in Bangladesh, which was funded by the U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), partnered with the UK’s DFID. A video of the launch event, including the plenary discussion, can be viewed here. The manual can be downloaded in English or Bangla here.