ABSTRACT
The government failed to reduce poverty in Bangladesh, and NGOs have been more efficient in reaching the poor than the state. Poverty alleviation in Bangladesh is not only dependent on money but also the strategies that are being formulated by donor agencies. The majority of NGO work is credit-based, inspired by the Grameen Bank and BRAC. On paper, they promote participatory development approaches and self-help, aiming to address issues of health, malnutrition, education, etc. In reality, many NGOs are implementers of welfare projects on behalf of outside initiators or donors, rather than following local priorities and working on genuine empowerment of the poor.
