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The non-state actors like the civil society and the NGOs strengthen democratic environment and a democratically elected government, and any attempt to squeeze their space adversely affects promotion of democratic values and development of a country. This was stated by the speakers at a Roundtable on "Democracy, Development and Civil Society: Working Environment Retaining their Independence" held on 08 June, 2011 in Dhaka. Organised jointly by the NGO Federation, BELA, CDF, INAFI and the Hunger Project the Roundtable was chaired by Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and  former Adviser to the Caretaker Government, and participated, among others, by distinguished citizens, media personalities, civil society and NGO leaders including former Advisers to the Caretaker Governments Prof. Wahiduddin Mahmud, M. Hafizuddin Khan, Dr. Akbar Ali Khan, Rasheda K. Chowdhury, senior journalist and columnist ABM Musa, Economist Dr. Debapriya Bhattarcharya, Prof. Department of Law, Dhaka University Asif Nazrul, President Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, Researcher and writer Syed Abul Maqsud, Coordinator, Nijera Kori Khushi Kabir, and  Executive Director of the Hunger Project Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar. They said undue censoring and unfounded criticism of the non-state actors undermine their long four decades of contribution giving rise to grave concern in the sector.

Tracing the glorious role played by the civil society in pre and post-independence days since the state language movement the discussants highlighted the innovative programs of the non-governmental organisations benefiting a vast multitude of underprivileged people. The role and long experience of the non-state actors in building a secular democratic society along with the long experience of the non-governmental organisations in development at the grassroots strengthen the hands of the state actors. The Roundtable strongly underlined that with no political agenda the civil society and the NGOs promote secular democratic values including human rights and complement development efforts of the state actors. It is high time that the 40 years history of the non-state actors be revisited with a view to evaluating and recognising their contribution to the nation and creating an enabling environment ensuring their distinctive characteristics and flexibility.