Masiur Firoz, Satkhira
Satkhira’s coastal areas, particularly Shyamnagar and Assasuni, face recurring cyclones, salinity, river erosion and shortages of safe drinking water. Despite years of projects funded by local and international NGOs, questions remain about their impact on people’s lives.
Residents allege that meetings, training sessions and publicity often overshadow tangible results. Concerns have also been raised about staffing shortages, employees handling multiple projects and the adequacy of project monitoring.
According to district administration sources, more than 35 NGOs are implementing projects in Shyamnagar alone. Their activities cover water supply, agriculture, climate change adaptation, and women and child development.
However, residents say water facilities established by some organisations serve only a limited number of people, leaving many struggling to obtain safe drinking water.
Yasir Arafat, a resident of Gabura, alleged, “We, the people of the coastal region, seem to have become part of NGO projects. Projects are launched using our problems as a justification, but questions remain about how much has actually changed.”
Alfaz, a resident of Kaikhali, said some NGO workers held meetings, took photographs, collected signatures and distributed food packets before leaving.
“They promise to solve various problems, but we never see them again afterwards,” he said.
According to relevant sources, Sushilan’s ongoing projects include around Tk 71 lakh for agriculture, Tk 1 crore 14 lakh 46 thousand for a World Food Programme (WFP) school feeding programme, and around Tk 85 lakh for a climate-related project.
LEADERS said it completed projects worth approximately Tk 8 crore 11 lakh in 2025. A climate change adaptation project worth around Tk 10 crore 33 lakh 78 thousand is under way in the 2026–27 financial year.
Prerona reported ongoing projects worth around Tk 2 crore in Paikgachha and Dacope upazilas of Khulna, while CCDB has projects worth approximately Tk 2 crore 50 lakh.
Prerona Executive Director Sampa Goswami said the organisation began in 2006 and expanded its main activities from 2013. It works on climate change, women’s development and safe drinking water in Munshiganj, Shyamnagar.
LEADERS Director (Programme) ABM Zakaria said the organisation, established in 1996, works with coastal communities across Satkhira and parts of Khulna. He claimed there had been no corruption in its ongoing projects.
Sushilan Deputy Director Moniruzzaman said the organisation had been working since 1991 on climate change, school feeding, agriculture and child labour prevention. He claimed its support for 4,750 children had helped Devhata upazila achieve child labour-free status.
Satkhira Deputy Commissioner Ms Kawser Aziz said the administration had received information about irregularities in NGO activities and would take steps to monitor the organisations through the NGO Affairs Bureau.
Despite the substantial funding, the persistence of drinking water shortages and other hardships raises questions about project effectiveness and accountability. Residents have called for scrutiny of project expenditure, beneficiary lists and outcomes, and investigations into allegations of irregularities wherever evidence warrants action. #EK
