Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Evaluation Report 5/2001 Evaluation of Development Co-operation between Bangladesh and Norway, 1995–2000 Information from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Ministry’s Information Section provides information with regard to current foreign policy, trade policy, and development cooperation policy. Material can be ordered from fax no. + 47 22 24 27 87 Foreign Ministry switchboard Tel. + 47 22 24 36 00 Fax + 47 22 24 95 80 or + 47 22 24 95 81 Information is available on the Internet at http://odin.dep.no/ud Information to the media: The Ministry’s Press Spokesperson and the Senior Information Officer on Development Cooperation can be contacted through the Foreign Ministry switchboard Foreign journalists: The Norway International Press Centre, NIPS, is the Foreign Ministry’ service centre for foreign journalists in Norway, tel. + 47 22 83 83 10 In countries outside of Norway, information on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may be obtained from Norwegian embassies or consulates Published by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs November 2001 Printed by Hatlehols AS, Brattvaag 012094-11 Circulation: 1200 E-705 E ISBN 82-7177-661-4 Evaluation of Development Co-operation between Bangladesh and Norway, 1995–2000 Centre for Development Studies, University of Bath, UK Team Leader: Dr. J. Allister McGregor, CDS Bath, UK. Education Sector Team: Dr. Roger Garrett, University of Bristol, UK, Dr. John Lowe, CDS Bath, UK, Mrs Tabassum Sakawat, Ind Consultant, Bangladesh Productive Sector Team: Dr. Arne Disch, SCANTEAM Consultant, Norway, Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, BIDS, Bangladesh Human Rights and Democracy Sector Team: Dr. J. Devine, CDS Bath, UK, Masud Ali, Incidin, Bangladesh, Sheela Huq, Incidin, Bangladesh Additional Resources: Gender: Dr. Sarah White, CDS Bath, UK International Agencies: Mr. Bo Sundstrom, Consultant, Sweden General: Mr. Olof Sandkull, Consultant, Sweden Secretary: Ms. Nasreen Sultana, Bangladesh Responsibility for the contents and presentation of findings and recommendations rests with the evaluation team. The views and opinions expressed in the report do not necessarily correspond with the views of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 3 Table of Contents Abbreviations . 5 Glossary of Non-English Words . 7 Fact Sheet . 8 Acnowledgements . 8 Bangladesh at a glance . 9 Executive Summary . 11 1 The Evaluation of Development Co-operation between Norway and Bangladesh, 1995–2000 . 15 1.1 Introduction . 15 2 Bangladesh: Background . 17 2.1 Introduction . 17 2.2 Growth and Economic Performance . 17 2.3 Demography and Human Resources . 18 2.4 Social and Cultural Change . 18 2.5 Politics and Governance . 19 2.6 Donors and the International Community . 20 2.7 Poverty . 21 3 The Norwegian Aid Programme in Bangladesh 1995–2000 . 23 3.1 Introduction . 23 3.2 Norway and Bangladesh: The MoU and CSP . 23 3.3 Financing Levels . 24 3.4 The Structure of Norwegian Funding . 25 3.5 Sectoral Distribution and Concentration . 27 3.6 Processes and Procedures . .29 4 Support for the Education Sector . 31 4.1 Introduction . 31 4.2 Education in Bangladesh . 31 4.3 Norwegian Support to the Education Sector in Bangladesh . 31 4.4 Poverty Alleviation: Impact . 35 4.5 Principles and Processes . 37 4.6 Cross-Cutting Issues: Gender and Environment . 40 4.7 Points for Discussion . 40 5 Support to the Productive Sector . 43 5.1 Introduction . 43 5.2 Norwegian Support to the Productive Sector in Bangladesh . 43 5.3 Poverty Alleviation: Impact . 45 5.4 Principles and Processes . 50 5.5 Cross-Cutting Issues: Gender and Environment . 51 5.6 Points for Discussion . 51 4 6 Support to Human Rights and Democracy . 54 6.1 Introduction . 54 6.2 Human Rights and Democratisation in Bangladesh . 54 6.3 Human Rights and Democracy: NORAD’s Current Sector Programme . 55 6.4 Poverty Alleviation: Impact . 56 6.5 Principles and Processes . 59 6.6 Cross-cutting Issues: Gender and Environment . 61 6.7 Points for Discussion . 61 7 Conclusion and Recommendations . 64 7.1 Bangladesh and Poverty in the 1990s . 64 7.2 The Impacts and Effects of the Co-operation . 64 7.3 Principles and Processes . 65 7.4 Cross-Cutting Issues: Gender and the Environment . 68 7.5 Challenges and Recommendations . 69 Annex 1 Terms of Reference . 75 Annex 2 List of Institutions and Persons Consulted . 79 Annex 3 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Development Co-operation between Norway and Bangladesh . 83 Annex 4 Environment Projects . 87 Annex 5 NGOs working in Human Rights and Democracy . 89 Bibliography . 90 List of Tables Table 3.1. Aid to Bangladesh as Share of Norwegian Aid . 25 Table 3.2. Norwegian Aid by Budget Allocation item, 1995–2000 . 26 Table 3.3. Assistance to and through NGOs to Bangladesh, 1995–2000 . 27 Table 3.4. Gender and Development Activities, 1995–2000 . 27 Table 3.5. Concentration Measures, Bangladesh Country Programme . 28 Table 4.1. Development and Revenue Education Sector Spending, 1995–2000 . 32 List of Figures Fig 3.1. Co-operation Strategy Bangladesh-Norway 1995–2000 . 23 Fig 4.1. Education Budget Expenditure by Project . 32 Fig 4.2. The Structure of the Education Sector and Norwegian Support in Bangladesh. 33 Fig 5.1. Norwegian Support to Productive Sector . 43 Fig 6.1. Expenditure on Human Rights and Democracy Projects . 55 List of Boxes Box 1.1. Poverty in Bangladesh: Understanding and Interventionsals . 22 5 Abbreviations ACRE Area Coverage Rural Electrification ADAB Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh ADB Asian.