Staff Correspondent

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has refuted the claim that the USAID awarded an organization in Bangladesh with US$29 million which is owned by only two individuals.

Recently, US President Donald Trump made the remark about Strengthening Political Landscape (SPL) Project in Bangladesh, leading to widespread confusion.

In response, MoFA conducted an investigation into the matter, said a statement of the ministry here today.

“The allegations that the project was awarded to an organization owned by two individuals from Bangladesh are baseless,” said the statement as per findings of the foreign ministry’s investigation.

During President Trump’s first term, the statement said, USAID selected Democracy International (DI), a US registered organization, to implement the SPL project.

Multiple international organizations participated in the bidding process, and USAID followed a transparent and competitive procedure before awarding the contract, said the statement.

After signing of the agreement in March 2017, DI began implementing the SPL project. Initially, the project was for five-year duration with a budget of $14 million, which was later extended with funding disbursed in phases.

It was managed by USAID and co-funded by the UK’s development agency, DFID (now FCDO). DFID had committed $10 million to the project, said the ministry’s statement.

The primary objectives of the SPL project included reducing political violence, fostering peace and harmony, promoting peaceful coexistence among political parties, enhancing their institutional capacity, strengthening internal democratic practices, and encouraging representative leadership.

As part of its activities, DI also conducted survey programs in Bangladesh.

The Foreign Ministry emphasized that all USAID projects adhere to the financial management policies of the US government, which include rigorous auditing processes.

Even after a project concludes, relevant documents are preserved for several years and are subject to re-audit if necessary, it added.

It said such projects are implemented under the Development Objective Assistance Agreement (DOAG) between Bangladesh and the United States, ensuring that individual influence does not play a role in their execution.