Donors interfere in national policies, Says alliance of NGOs

August 20, 2006

Star Business Report
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/08/20/d60820050267.htm

Alliance for Economic Justice Bangladesh (AEJB) yesterday blasted World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) for interfering in the country's policy formulation and making wrong prescriptions for the development programmes.
"The projects that were implemented on the prescriptions of the WB and IMF have mounted sufferings of the people in most cases," said Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of Voice, a member organisation of the AEJB, at a press briefing at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium in the city.
Citing the example of poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP), he explained people's aspiration has not been reflected in the PRSP because it was prepared without the participation of the people.
These international institutions are also interfering in the process of formulating national policies, including political structure, and their conditions, contrary to the national interests, are protecting the interests of the multinational companies, he alleged.

They are imposing conditions for wholesale privatisation of different state-owned enterprises (SOEs), liberalising the market, administrative reforms, fixing salary structure of the government employees, carrying out reforms in economic, social and oil and gas sectors and privatisation of health, education, water and other public services, he mentioned, but these are going against the interest of the people.
WB, IMF and ADB are tagging different conditions with the project assistance and loans but these are making the country more dependent on others instead of bringing any good for the country, he added. Even the WB kept on pressurising the government to pass a bill that allows it to remain above law, though it was not finally done.
Explaining the goals of AEJB, Mahmud said the alliance has been formed recently in the country in a bid to strengthen the movement for ensuring justice, establishing true democracy and rights of the people.
Citing another example, Abul Hossain, a leader of the alliance, said it is the WB and IMF that said establishing backward linkage industries is not viable for Bangladesh, rather importing fabrics from other countries would be cheaper for it.
"But we all know that readymade garment exporters are now saying that Bangladesh can't survive in the stiff competition in the global market without having backward linkage industries," he observed.
The AEJB has announced a series of programmes across the country to lodge protest against the policy of these international financial institutions, which include organising seminars on September 4, 6 and 9 in Dhaka, holding public rally on September 16 at the National Shaheed Minar and other countrywide activities.
Angikar, Ananya, Bangladesh NGOs Network on Radio Communication, Incidin Bangladesh, Karmajibi Nari, National Committee on Protecting Natural Resources, Oil and Gas, Heed Bangladesh, Prodip, Nagorik Uddog, Swadhin Bangla Garments Sramik Karmachari Federation, Bangladesh Jubo Union, Moitri Bangladesh, SAAPE Bangladesh Chapter, Peoples Empowerment Trust, Faith and Hope, Jibika Mohila Unnayan Sangstha, Bangladesh Grameen and Nagor Daridro Federation, Unnayan Onneshon, Nahar, Ubinig, Voice, Sofol Trust, Campaign for Good Governance and some other organisations have joined the alliance.
Other leaders of the AEJB were present at the press conference.