Downward Accountability of NGOs in Bangladesh: Theoretical Issues and Empirical Investigation

This article analyses overall NGO accountability and accountability to beneficiaries in particular. It is based on the collection of qualitative data from four NGOs in Bangladesh. The participation of beneficiaries has been disaggregated into three phases for more analytical discussion: decision-making, implementation, and evaluation. The study results reveal that the participation of beneficiaries is much higher in the project/program implementation phase. The condition is alarming for the decision-making and evaluation phase, where participation is more rhetoric and sham rituals than the actual exercise. The study also identified some formal and informal mechanisms of participation.