NGOs in Bangladesh: Are They in a Strong Position to Assist Vulnerable People Living on Low-Lying Lands to Cope with Floods?

Abstract

This paper investigates whether Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) inBangladesh are in a position to deal with a situation of abject poverty amongst a vulnerable group of people living on flood-prone land in the deltas of the Ganges and other major river systems in that country. The paper is a commentary based on information gathered from the literature. It first examines the work of NGOs in SouthAsia in general terms, and follows on to develop profiles for two of the largest and most successful Bangladeshi NGOs. It then proceeds to build a case study on flooding in Bangladesh, which is a common occurrence due to seasonal events and extreme natural phenomena, and tries to link these events to future predictions of frequent and extensive floods in Bangladesh as a probable consequence of globalwarming. In particular, it focuses on the impact such events have on vulnerable groups of people living on mudflats and temporary islands in low-lying areas. The paper then examines some of the responses to flooding in relation to technological as well as other pragmatic solutions that address the ongoing needs of people in relationto assisting them cope with floods, and considers how NGOs have assisted this group of marginalised people through local efforts. Finally, it discusses some of the organisational challenges that larger NGOs in Bangladesh will need to face in the context of the international community’s responsibilities and its willingness tocommit to the long-term provision of aid funds through international donors: large NGOs need funds to enable them to assist communities to cope with flooding through partnerships with smaller NGOs that are more effective in that they rely on local experience in implementing such projects locally.