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Published : 18 Apr 2023, 09:12 PM
Kishor Kumar Das, chairman of Bidyanondo Foundation, a voluntary organisation, has responded to the queries and criticism over the organisation’s assets, income, expenses and activities on social media.
He went live on Facebook on Monday evening from Peru’s capital Lima and shared his statement. Later, it was shared on his personal Facebook page and Bidyanondo Foundation’s page.
The organisation came under fire recently over a photo collage shared on its Facebook page on ornaments made from burnt clothes from Bangabazar.
“These were expensive clothing a few hours ago. Then it turned into burnt clothes buried under ashes! The beautiful ornaments are now being made of the cloth pieces recovered from the debris,” the Facebook post said.
Later, it was revealed that some of the ornaments were not made from burnt clothes and the photos had been published on another page before the fire incident.
Some people were outraged by the act and called it “playing with people’s emotions”.
“A little edit and the photos from Mar 9 become the photos of recycled burnt clothes at Bangabazar. Do even children carry out such clumsy work?”
Amid the sheer criticism, Bidyanondo removed the photos and posted an explanation on Sunday. Kishor also apologised.
“One of the junior researchers was inspired by those photos but as they were in the same folder, the admin ended up sharing them.”
“It’s absolutely an honest mistake. Even then I beg pardon as the organisation chief; not because of the criticism we faced, but as a humble gesture. Your artwork is very important to you. I apologise personally.”
Netizens also questioned the use of photos of the same animal donated to the poor on multiple occasions.
They criticised the organisation over pieces of land it had bought or leased.
MAJID CHACHA
After the burnt Bangabazar cloth fiasco, many pointed out Bidyanondo used the name Majid Chacha or Majid Uncle with photos of different beneficiaries on Facebook to highlight the organisation’s activities. But it drew strong criticism as whether it was a pseudonym was never mentioned.
Netizens complained that Bidyanondo was quite “deceitful in presenting Majid Chacha” everywhere. They questioned the need to use a symbolic character.
The Bidyanondo Foundation was subject to relentless trolling on social media over the character.
Kishor said the organisation had used the real name of a person once but it turned out to be identical to the name of a politician. “We were in big trouble (risk of facing a defamation case) after using the name of a person which was the same as that of a political leader.”
“We were then asked whether we had used the name intentionally to insult the leader. Many names commonly used in rural areas are the same as renowned people. If we reveal the real names, then you people would be saying that we did it intentionally to slur those famous political people,” he said.
So Bidyanondo uses symbolic names like Sultan, Rahim, or Kalim Chacha, he said.
USING PHOTO OF ONE ANIMAL MULTIPLE TIMES
Bidyanondo has been trolled for using the photo of one donated cow multiple times on its Facebook posts. “How many times must you post a photo of the same cow?” one of the critics wrote on Facebook.
In response, Kishor said the organisation used the same photos but the description was different.
He explained that sometimes multiple Facebook posts depict the entire process of distributing food made from donated cattle – from meat processing to cooking.
“Bidyanondo’s philanthropic work is like a journey. The focus is not only on the destination, we also want you to accompany us along the way,” Kishor said.
LAND
With ‘false promises,’ Kishor initially took the lease of some land and later purchased the land at low cost but never carried out his plans, Hla Tun Seinga from Cox’s Bazar’s Ramu had previously complained.
He once again drew attention to the complaint amid the fresh debate over the organisation’s activities, saying he removed his old post from Facebook after some Bidyanondo volunteers threatened him with legal action.
“As far as I know, the first land was donated to Bidyanondo Foundation by my grandfather Mongshaitang Rowaja. After he donated the first part of the land, the Bidyanondo chairman made a false promise to my grandfather that they would set up a secondary school in the neighbourhood and an academy building named after him (grandfather) if they could have some more land,” Hla Tun Seinga wrote in his previous post.
Hearing about the establishment of a secondary school in the locality directly from the Bidyanondo chairman, Rowaja sold off more lands to him at very low prices, Seinga added.
But the foundation showed its true colours after receiving the land, he alleged. Seinga said his grandfather at his deathbed told him that the education people receive these days only teaches them to “cheat".
“I never expected the Bidyanondo Foundation chairman to cheat me in that manner. As the middleman in the land deal, I will forever be guilty to my grandfather, my family and the entire society.”
In response to this, Kishor said they bought land in Ramu paying cash at a market price applicable at that time. “If the seller wants it back, they can have it by paying the amount after adjusting the depreciation rate.”
Kishor added that the seller was unwilling to get the land back when Bidyanondo approached him. One of the family members of the seller was spreading lies about it, and the head of the family had already asked Kishor not to pay heed to it.
He posted the photos of the agreement signed on Jan 31, 2017, showing the price as Tk 1.74 million.
Kishor also revealed some parts of the deed on another land leased out to them in Bandarban’s Ruma.
“You can see the contract saying the land in the hills will go back to its original owner at the completion of the project. The first photo clearly mentions the condition.”
AUDIT OF AUDIT REPORT
Complaints swirled on social media alleging that the foundation’s assets and donations were not reflected in the audit report.
Some Facebook users alleged that in an interview, Kishor once said the organisation owned nearly 43 acres of land but the audit report never reflected it.
But Kishor denied these accusations and claimed the report detailed everything correctly. “You can take the audit report to an audit firm. Tell them to evaluate it and ask them what flaws it contains,” he said.
Kishor said no one receives money for Bidyanondo in person, rather the amount goes to a bank account. “Also, the audit firm does not receive reports from me. It gets info from the bank to check how much money is accumulated.”
He said all expenditures follow a process. Mostly the dealings are in tens of millions and with large vendors where electronic vouchers are needed, he added.
As a non-profit organisation, Bidyanondo provides regular updates to the deputy commissioner’s office about the donation it receives, said Kishor, adding that the foundation pays VAT and taxes regularly as per the government rules.
Deputy Tax Commissioner Sajjadul Islam Meer replied to the posts maligning Bidyanondo over the assets. “Those who were elated hearing the news of Bidyanondo buying a land please go and check out their audit reports on their website. Bidyanondo has been publishing audit reports with details of their assets way before it came to your attention,” he wrote.
“If you can, please produce proof of the financial irregularities in Bidyanondo. Even I’ll protest in that case. But there’s no point in maligning such a large organisation over some Facebook posts.”
ZAKAT ISSUE
Kishor mentioned that they considered not accepting money for Zakat, the obligatory donation Muslims make each year to charitable causes, but feared a backlash if they did not accept Zakat.
“Last year, we wanted to announce shutting down the Zakat fund. Now, that would be another type of advertisement, we thought. Bidyanondo doesn’t accept that money.”
“We decided to stay quiet about it, so that people may give us Zakat money if they wish to do so. Only 5 percent of our total fund comes from Zakat. Even then, we decided not to disseminate the idea. What can we do if people come with their Zakat money? All we can do is perform our duties properly.”
‘I’M NOT OBSTINATE’
The Bidyanondo Foundation always made timely decisions on different initiatives, according to Kishor.
“We don’t believe that we have to win at any cost. I might deviate in two years from what I’m saying today because I’m not obstinate.”
“We believe we did something two years ago as it seemed right to us at that time. We’ll do something that will be fitting after two years while upholding our key principles,” he said.
For example, he said, the organisation did not initially receive corporate donations, but later did so. Also, it also started accepting endorsements by celebrities, after initially refusing to do so.
Bidyanondo has 80 paid staff members and 30 volunteer coordinators, Kishor said, mentioning that he ran the organisation for one and a half years with his own money while working at a multinational company.
“I’m not a nobleman but an ordinary person. Pretty ordinary. I can make mistakes. Also, I have no grudge against those who are destroying the organisation. Not even the slightest,” he said.
He said those who were acting against Bidyanondo must be doing it for a reason. Kishor said he never expected any apology from them.
“The boys and girls are sad now, but we hope we’ll recover. Our work may slow down, but let it be. Everything will be done the way the almighty wants it to be.”
‘READY TO FACE COURT BATTLE’
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, a filmmaker, took to Facebook, criticising Bidyanondo for allowing the situation to develop. He added the situation does not mean everyone should be hostile to Bidyanondo.
“I don’t hesitate to call something wrong if it’s really wrongful. Indeed it’s dishonest to use photos from another page and call them your own. Sacrificing a single cow multiple times is dishonesty too,”
“Presenting one Majid Chacha everywhere is unfair too. None of these gives a good impression.”
It would not matter to people whether the entire episode was the result of immaturity on the part of Bidyanondo’s social media team. The top management must take responsibility for the situation,” Farooki wrote.
“But we must not go to war over this. The good deeds of Bidyanondo caught our attention, we liked them and so praised them. But I’d turn to criticising the organisation in the blink of an eye if it does something wrong,” he wrote.
As Bidyanondo drew flak from those paying attention, Kishor, 40, showed up with his statement. Kishor is the “lead volunteer” of the organisation, which is a recipient of the 2023 Ekushey Padak. He has been living in Lima for a decade.
“As the chief, I take responsibility for whatever Bidyanondo is facing today. Now tell me what you want me to do?” Kishor said.
“If you want me to step down, I’m ready to do so. I want to do that. You can run the organisation.”
He also said that Bidyanondo was ready to face lawsuits if anyone did take legal steps, adding that they received legal notices in the past and responded to them.
“They [petitioners] never responded back."
[Writing in English by Sabrina Karim Murshed]
