NGOs in business in Bangladesh to lose licence for 'malicious' comments on constitutional bodies

Parliament has passed a bill with a provision to cancel registration of NGOs for 'malicious' statements on any constitutional bodies or ‘subversive’ remarks.

The provision is included in the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Bill, 2016 passed on Wednesday.

The new law empowers the NGO Affairs Bureau to cancel registration of any NGO for such remarks that will be considered offensive under the new law.

After Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed Parliament a 'puppet show stage', the parliamentary committee on law ministry had proposed to include the provision in the bill placed by Matia Chowdhury, in-charge of Prime Minister's Office in Parliament, last year.

The MPs had also demanded an apology from TIB and now have passed the law against such remarks by NGOs.

The top-brass of several NGOs urged the parliamentary panel to drop the provision in a meeting on May 18.

Panel chief Suranjit Sengupta submitted the report on the bill on July 25.

The bill also stipulates cancellation of the registration of NGOs for financing and patronising terrorism and militancy, and trafficking women and children.

The NGOs will also have to take prior approval from the NGO Affairs Bureau to undertake any project and implement it with foreign donations only through scheduled banks.

They will need the home ministry's approval for appointment of foreign advisors.