TWO BANGLADESHI NGOS BARRED FROM BIDDING ON WORLD BANK CONTRACTS

The World Bank, in a July press release, announced that it has banned two Bangladeshi NGOs and their executive directors from bidding to provide goods or services pursuant to   contracts financed or executed by any member of the World Bank Group.  The World Bank issued the bans because a World Bank investigation found evidence of fraud by the parties in relation to a project financed by the World Bank.  The two NGOs concerned are the Organization of Rural Economic Development & Rehabilitation (OREDAR) and the Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development Organization (PARDO).  OREDAR and its former executive director, Rezaul Karim, are banned for a period of two years; however, OREDAR may reduce this period to one year by instituting a compliance program acceptable to the World Bank.  PARDO and its executive director, Mrs. Shamima, are banned for a period of three years.  No mention was made of a potentially shortened period.

The findings of fraud were the result of investigations in Bangladesh by the World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency, which were conducted as part of the Bank’s broad anti-corruption agenda. 

The press release quoted Leonard McCarthy, VP for Integrity for the World Bank, as stating “When we talk about integrity in Bank operations, it must apply equally to all the entities that implement our projects, whether they are large corporations or small NGOs.”

SS