Bangladesh America Maitree project held the grant award ceremony at a hotel in Dhaka recently.
Funded by the USAID and implemented by the BRAC, the project has awarded grants totaling $7.534 million to 18 local non-governmental organisations for the first year, said a press release on Monday.
Environment, forest, and climate change adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan attended as chief guest, while NGO affairs bureau director general Md Saidur Rahman attended as guest of honour at the event.
Special guests of the event included USAID Bangladesh mission director Reed Aeschliman and BRAC鈥檚 executive director, Asif Saleh.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan stated, 鈥業f Bangladesh is to harness the power of non-state actors in driving development, we must first remove barriers that hinder their participation.鈥�
Streamlining the NGO registration process is a crucial step in this direction. By simplifying fund accessibility, we enable local organisations to engage more actively and effectively, paving the way for a more inclusive and impactful development landscape in Bangladesh, she added.
Implemented by in collaboration with FHI 360 and BRAC USA, the five-year project aims to strengthen the operational capacities of the selected NGOs through targeted project implementation.
Saidur Rahman remarked, 鈥榃e aim to strengthen the capabilities of NGOs by enhancing communication and alignment with donors, ensuring that projects are sustainable and continue to benefit communities long after their completion.鈥�
Reed Aeschliman said, 鈥楢t USAID, we are driven by our core vision. By empowering local actors, we are investing in the future of Bangladesh, aligning with its vision of becoming an upper-middle-income nation by 2031.鈥�
Asif Saleh added, 鈥楾he Maitree project marks a shift from traditional aid models, recognising that solutions rooted in local understanding are the most impactful.鈥�
In the first phase of the Maitree project, priority has been given to regions facing environmental challenges, including drought-prone areas like Rajshahi and Rangpur, haor regions such as Sylhet and Sunamganj, and coastal areas like Khulna and Barishal.
The grantees are working in key areas such as agriculture, food security, health, education, child rights, and protection. The NGOs were selected based on their innovative approaches and commitment to addressing critical regional development challenges.
