Development Aid in Stable Democracies and Fragile States by A. H. Monjurul Kabir

Author:A. H. Monjurul Kabir
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9783319921747
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

6.2.3 The Application of the PDA—Engagements from Partners

An important factor accounting for the ineffectiveness of the parliament is its lack of capacity to undertake functions that are expected of it. Several attempts have been made over the years in collaboration with development partners to improve the effectiveness of the parliament in undertaking its mandatory functions of legislation, oversight and representation. In fact, in 1975, USAID launched the first parliamentary development project in Bangladesh: a grant to modernize the parliament library. The first parliament was dissolved shortly after and by the time the grant ran out in 1979; donors had lost interest in parliament. Their interest returned in 1991 with the return to multiparty democracy. ‘It was, almost like a breakthrough moment for Bangladesh ’s journey to parliamentary democracy and democratic governance ’. 33 After the inauguration of the fifth parliament, the Asia Foundation commissioned a needs assessment, which recommended a combination of reforms and balanced support to parliament, focusing on both MPs and the Parliament Secretariat. 34 Another attempt was made five years later, after the collapse of the sixth and the inauguration of the seventh parliament. A second needs assessment; this time commissioned by UNDP, largely confirmed the recommendations of the first one, but, in addition, proposed the establishment of a Bangladesh Institute of Parliamentary Studies (BIPS). The following year, this led to the launch of the Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy (SPD) project, initially with UNDP as the only donor, but later joined by Denmark, DFID and the Netherlands. 35

Independent evaluations suggest that the SPD project had many achievements as well as pitfalls. A 2006 study 36 observed that the SPD activities improved the capacity and effectiveness of the Parliament Secretariat, increased awareness among MPs on the importance of committees for government oversight and brought parliament into the computer age and the network era. The SPD also produced important knowledge resources such as a 600-page book on Rules of Procedures of parliament, ten monographs on different parliamentary issues and one monograph and one book on comparative committee systems. It had also helped the parliament set up a visit cell to encourage the public to visit the parliament.

Despite early achievements of the SPD Project in line with its approved workplan, some of the members of the Peer Assist Group including local political analysts, however, opined 37 that the project did not have a fundamental contribution to making the parliament efficient, effective and accountable to the people. Part of the reason was that the political environment did not allow the full and complete implementation of the project. As described above, parliamentarians simply adhere to party decisions, instead of acting on their own preferences (or those of their constituents). When in power, the party leadership strictly protects its perceived parochial interests. As a result, no reform can be attempted that goes against party interests. The SPD Project was implemented under this rigid political environment in which vested political interests were ably protected.

A DFID ‘Output to Purpose Review of the SPD Project’ 38 has

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