Hegemony and accountability in BRAC – the largest hybrid NGO in the world

This case study of BRAC, one of the largest indigenous hybrid NGOs in Bangladesh and possibly the world, examines how, why, to what effect, and for whom its functional and social accountability developed; and whether it furthered advocacy for its beneficiaries and a distinct counter hegemony within a civil society historic bloc or reinforced the dominant hegemony of the state, foreign donors or both. After haphazard accountability during its embryonic state, BRAC developed impeccable functional accountability to donors and the state which became supplemented by aspects of social accountability. Its attempts to be accountable to employees and beneficiaries were less effective due partly to their lack of representation on boards; functional internal accountability and controls; paternal, familial and charismatic leadership;…