NGO

Association under The Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961:

Here at Zia Consulting Firm Ltd., we can help you register your Voluntary Social Welfare Agency. The details and registration procedure for set up of Voluntary Social Welfare Agency in Bangladesh is set out below.

This entity registration is most acceptable one when you are going to set up a charity organization and planning to receive government grants/any local donations in near future. You can set up this entity for any charitable purpose including children, youth, women welfare; welfare for the physically or mentally incapable persons; family welfare, activities for the entertainment of to protect people from the anti-social activities, social education or adult education to teach civic responsibilities; welfare and rehabilitation of the released prisoners; welfare for the adolescent criminals; welfare for the beggar or poor people; welfare for the socially incapable people; welfare an rehabilitation of the patients; welfare of the old and physically incapable persons; training for social welfare; coordination of the social welfare organizations. It does not cover charity for art, science, culture, environment. Foreigners are prohibited from serving as founders here. If you have plan to receive foreign donations, then you will need prior registration with the NGOAB. The governing law is The Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961. The regulatory body is Social Welfare Department (SWD)/ Upazila Social Welfare Office under ministry of social welfare. The required documents include application form; constitution of the organization in Bangla; details of members, executive committee and other documents as it may require.

Key issues to consider:

(i)

Social Welfare Department (SWD) plays both the role of establishment and regulatory/governance when the organization is locally established under it;

(ii)

Most importantly, all organizations registered as society or trust or not for profit company, still need to be registered as NGO with SWD if they engage in activities defined in the scope of this Act and look forward to getting local funds;

(iii)

SWD has broad discretion and control to suspend or dissolve an organization if it is involved in unlawful activities;

(iv)

any entity registered with SWD can have bank account, can sue and be sued;

(v)

must file annual reports and audited accounts at the end of every year with SWD.