Government and NGOs Expressed Commitment to be Accountable to Community

Feb 11, 2016

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Dhaka 11th February 2016. Today Bangla version of Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) which has developed in Bangladesh through a yearlong participatory process and field trail has been lunched in a seminar title “ Accountability and Quality Management in Humanitarian Actions : Bangladesh Perspective” held in BRAC centre.
The seminar was organized by CHS support group and United Nations in Bangladesh with the support of host of national and international NGOs including ActionAid, BRAC, CARE, Christian Aid, CARITAS, COAST, Concern Worldwide, DCA, Disaster Forum, DSK, Red Cross and Red Crescent, Islamic Relief, Muslim Aid, NIRAPOD, Oxfam, Plan International, Practical Action, Save the Children, Tearfund, IoM, and World Vision. The seminar was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of COAST, Mr Dhirendra Debnath Shambu MP Chairman Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief (MoDM&R) was there as Chief Guest, other guest were Md Zakir Hossain Akanda Additional Secretary MoDM&R, Mr BMM Mozharul Huq Secretary General Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, and Ms Judith Greenwood Executive Director CHS Alliance Geneva.
CHS has been developed during the period of 2013 and 2014 by HAP International, People in Aid and the Sphere Project through intensive global consultation and filed test. The CHS support group in Bangladesh took around one year to make it bangle translation and filed test.
Ms Judith of CHS Alliance said that in respect of both humanitarian and development actions accountability to the community should comes first, she also mentioned that this is the first time all most all INGOs being came in one umbrella for CHS. Mr. Zakir Hossain Akanda the Additional Secretary of MoDM&R said that, government budget in respect of disaster management is increasing and thus government will consider to roll out the CHS up to the local level. Mr BMM Mozharul Huq of Red Crescent mentioned that there is a necessity of CHS and accountability in the volunteerism too. Mr. Dhirendra Debnath Shambu MP and Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee and Chief Guest of the seminar said that it is the best effort to be in common humanitarian standard by both government and non government actors, he insist that roll out of CHS in government and to make government officials accountable to the community first.