VOICE organized a consultation on World Bank Disclosure Policy

May 20, Dhaka [The participants of the consultation allegedly said that the Bank didn’t provide any information on the project they undertook in the country and categorically it impedes the access to information at all levels including project agreement, implementation and monitoring levels.  The consultation was held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity today jointly organized by VOICE, a research and advocacy organization and Bank Information Centre. The consultation was presided over by Justice (Retd)  Mohammad Golam Rabbani.

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of Voice read out the key note paper while he citing the example from the World Bank's Inspection Panel Annual Report, said that Bank suffers with the problem of access to information within several World Bank-financed projects. There are allegations of lack of transparency, and even violations of its own disclosure policy according to recently published Inspection Panel Report, he told. Ahmed Swapan also said that alleged violation of the Bank’s disclosure policy was raised in 22 of the 52 cases, which equates to 42 percent of all cases brought to the panel since its 1993 inception.
Dr. Piash KArim, professor of Brac University raised the concerns that the Bank was loosing its legitimacy worldwide due to imposing neoliberal conditionalities on the state, but taking the advantage of the global financial crisis, the Bank is eager to increase its lending base. He demanded to publish the lending policy as well as the project agreement so that people can provide their opinion on the project document.

Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, executive editor of Daily Sangbad said that Bank should facilitate access to all documents where people can get opportunity to give their opinion freely. He also demanded for translation of the documents in local languages for the communities’ access to information ensuring people’s right to know.

Tahmina Rahman, country director of Article 19 described the principles of Transparency charter and she demanded the bank should maintain the standard following the principles of the charter. She raised the concerns to engage demanding transparency and accountability of the Bank.

Dr. Ananya Raihan, executive director of DNet said that the bank should disclose all the facts in relation to its projects. It should also facilitate the process so that people can take part and give their opinion to the disclosure process.
Omar Tarek CHowdhury from the Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha told that the Bank should extend time for public opinion and it should hold consultation in the country and should circulate in the newspapers that they would hold consultations for public opinion.

Saiful Haq, Genreal Secretary of Biplobi Workers Party told that the approach paper of the bank still lacks quality and still the paper remains at risk in regard to information block. He referred to a project titled Flood Action Plan, while people were neglected getting information on the project from the Bank. World Bank should also disclose unholy reason why they would not give information.
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, convenor of Equity and Justice Working Group urged to ensure transparency, accountability and governance system of the Bank. The Bank should prove itself that it complies with its own policy.

Participants claimed that an implementable and true disclosure policy is a key concern to ensure governance providing information to its stakeholder, but the Bank blocked information to make it public. The speakers demanded to publicise the funding procedures and total lending base in the country since its inception.

Participants criticized Bank’s approach paper “Rethinking the World Bank’s Disclosure Policy” as it contains a number of limitations and loopholes and called for revision the document taking people’s demand into account.

Among many, Dr. Lenin Azad, Tanveer Siddiqui, Shahadot Islam Mintu also spoke in the programme. The seminar was attended by a large number of civil society activists, political activists, NGOs and trade union representatives, journalists, media and communication organizations, human rights and women groups.