Bangladesh Rural Development Board

Bangladesh Rural Development Board
Name	Bangladesh Rural Development Board
Native name	বাংলাদেশ গ্রামীণ উন্নয়ন বোর্ড
Formation	1982
Headquarters	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Region served	Bangladesh
Language	Bengali
Leader title	Chairman

Bangladesh Rural Development Board

The Bangladesh Rural Development Board is a national statutory agency focused on rural development implementation in Bangladesh. It operates within the administrative context of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (Bangladesh), coordinating programs with agencies such as Bangladesh Water Development Board, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, and Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board. The board engages with international partners including World Bank, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and bilateral donors like Japan International Cooperation Agency and United States Agency for International Development.

History

Created in the aftermath of policy reforms influenced by institutions like the Asian Development Bank and development models seen in Kerala and Grameen Bank, the board traces roots to earlier bodies established after independence in 1971 and reform initiatives in the 1970s and 1980s. Influenced by figures associated with rural policy such as Muhammad Yunus and institutions like Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, the board expanded following structural adjustments advocated by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Major milestones include program launches concurrent with national plans like the Fifth Five Year Plan (Bangladesh), Sixth Five Year Plan (Bangladesh), and initiatives paralleling National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction.

Mandate and Functions

The board's statutory mandate encompasses implementation of rural infrastructure, livelihoods, and community mobilization programs outlined by the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (Bangladesh), aligned with national strategies such as the Eighth Five Year Plan (Bangladesh). It undertakes activities similar to those of Department of Public Health Engineering (Bangladesh) and Bangladesh Water Development Board in rural infrastructure, and coordinates with Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute and Bangladesh Rice Research Institute on agricultural interventions. It also links with social protection schemes like Vulnerable Group Development and pension initiatives directed by the Ministry of Social Welfare (Bangladesh).

Organizational Structure

The board is led by a chairman and governed through directorates and regional offices that mirror administrative divisions such as Dhaka Division, Chittagong Division, Rajshahi Division, Khulna Division, Barisal Division, Sylhet Division, and Rangpur Division. Its field operations interface with local bodies including Union Parishad, Upazila Parishad, and municipal authorities like Dhaka South City Corporation. Human resources and capacity building often draw on training collaborations with institutions such as the Bangladesh Civil Service Administration Academy, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, and international centers including Asian Institute of Management.

Programs and Projects

Program portfolios have included microcredit-linked self-help group initiatives resembling approaches by Grameen Bank, rural infrastructure projects in partnership with Asian Development Bank loans, and livelihoods programs coordinated with International Fund for Agricultural Development. Notable project types: rural road construction akin to projects by the Local Government Engineering Department, aquaculture and irrigation schemes linked to Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and Department of Agricultural Extension (Bangladesh), and disaster resilience programs aligned with the Cyclone Preparedness Programme and Disaster Management Bureau. Pilot initiatives have leveraged models from Self Employed Women's Association and community-driven development inspired by World Bank projects in South Asia.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources include allocations from the Ministry of Finance (Bangladesh), development credits and grants from multilateral financiers such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, and bilateral partners including Japan International Cooperation Agency and Department for International Development (UK). Partnerships extend to international NGOs like BRAC, OXFAM, and CARE Bangladesh, and to research partners such as International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh and the International Food Policy Research Institute. The board also coordinates donor-funded rural development programs parallel to initiatives run by United Nations Development Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization.

Impact and Criticism

The board's interventions have been credited with improving rural access to roads, irrigation, and livelihood options in regions including Mymensingh District, Kurigram District, Gaibandha District, and Satkhira District, contributing to indicators tracked alongside the Sustainable Development Goals reporting for Bangladesh. Criticisms mirror those leveled at large agencies: concerns raised by civil society groups like Transparency International Bangladesh and think tanks such as Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies include issues of bureaucratic inefficiency, resource allocation, coordination with agencies like the Local Government Engineering Department, and challenges in targeting beneficiaries compared with microfinance models exemplified by Grameen Bank and BRAC. Evaluations by donors such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have recommended reforms in monitoring and community participation modeled after successful programs in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Legal and Policy Framework

The board operates under statutes and administrative orders issued by the Government of Bangladesh and within policy frameworks like the National Sustainable Development Strategy and the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. It must coordinate with regulatory bodies including the Bangladesh Bank on microfinance linkages and with sectoral ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture (Bangladesh), Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (Bangladesh), and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Bangladesh). Its program design and procurement follow public finance rules under the Public Procurement Act, 2006 (Bangladesh) and auditing by the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh.

Category:Rural development in Bangladesh