Abstract

Poverty is pervasive in Bangladesh. There is a strong realization among both the government organizations (GOs) and Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that a strong government-NGO relationship is needed to face the challenge of poverty. The purpose of this study is to understand the collaborative approach through which GOs and NGOs can work together. The collaborative approach of GOs and NGOs sounds good but the causes of failure to reach the poor need to be identified. This study examines how the relationship between GOs and NGOs working for poverty alleviation in Bangladesh can be improved. The research was done within the context of Bangladesh. Interpretive and positivist research paradigms were used in the study. Data were collected between December 1997 and January 1998 through a literature review, interviews and mailed questionnaires, document examination, observations in workshops, and a reflection upon my own professional experiences. The study confirms that the relationship depends mainly on the attitude of the government towards NGOs and the perception of concerned people about development programs. To reach a common understanding, members of both GOs and NGOs need to exchange their views through dialogue and share their experiences through training and workshops. The conclusions of this paper highlight that more effective interactions between GOs and NGOs are needed to exchange information and share experiences in order to improve their relations. NGOs have innovative ideas in implementing development programs at the grassroots level and GOs should look toward NGOs implementing approaches with a positive attitude. NGOs should enjoy the flexibility and autonomy to which they are accustomed in the implementation of collaborative programs. During implementation of development activities GOs expertise, experiences of local government representatives, institutional facilities of both GOs and NGOs and the best utilization of government owned resources (land, forests, and water bodies) will help to promote stronger GO and NGO relations and will help to reduce poverty in Bangladesh.

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