Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday told parliament that 722 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had their registrations cancelled and their operations shut down by the NGO Affairs Bureau between 2009 and 2024.
He said the registrations of the NGOs were cancelled for various reasons, including failure to apply for renewal within the stipulated time, embezzlement of funds through forgery of signatures, violation of conditions imposed at the time of registration and subsequent lawful directives of the Bureau, and submission of fake or forged Letter of Intent (LOI).
The minister said this in a scripted reply to a question from BNP lawmaker Md Jalal Uddin (Kishoreganj-2).
Salahuddin Ahmed said NGOs were playing an important role alongside the government in improving the country's socio-economic condition.
Since the establishment of the NGO Affairs Bureau in 1990, the Bureau, under the Prime Minister's Office, has been coordinating voluntary project activities undertaken by NGOs receiving foreign donations, he said.
He said NGOs were playing an important role in implementing the current government's election manifesto and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Bureau was coordinating various NGO projects, particularly in poverty alleviation, ending hunger, public health, quality education, gender equality, addressing climate change risks, preventing violence against women, ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation, and promoting sustainable development, the minister said.
He said the NGO Affairs Bureau carries out various activities under its own rules and relevant government regulations, including registration of new NGOs, renewal of registrations, approval of projects, release of funds, and monitoring, evaluation and supervision of projects taken by NGOs.