Bangladesh - Independent Evaluation Group - World Bank

GAC issues, and identified what has worked and what has not in implementing GAC efforts.
Case studies were selected from a quasi-random sample of twelve candidate countries, which
sought to ensure representation across geographic regions and countries that received special
GAC support over the FY07-10 period. Based on IEG’s desk review of GAC
responsiveness, country programs with documentary evidence of some degree of GACresponsiveness
over the pre- and post-GAC periods were selected for case studies.
Accordingly, case studies were conducted in Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guatemala,
Liberia, and Moldova. Field missions to these countries were undertaken between December
2010 and February 2011. Case studies were reviews from World Bank country teams and
comments were duly incorporated.
1.9 The Bangladesh case study is based on an extensive desk review as well as a field
visit to Dhaka from February 6-15, 2011. It evaluates the relevance and effectiveness of Bank
support for governance and anticorruption efforts since the launch of the Bank’s Governance
and Anticorruption (GAC) Strategy in 2007. It elaborates on a desk review of the GAC
responsiveness of the Bank’s Bangladesh program and reviews the following GAC entry
points: core public sector reform (public financial management and procurement); GAC in
sectors (roads, education, and electric power); investment climate; and accountability
institutions. The case study also examined the extent to which the Bank’s GAC Strategy has
made a difference in staff attitudes toward addressing GAC issues in their operational work.
The mission interviewed development partners, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
government officials, and staff of project implementation units (PIUs), and the Bank Country
Office to better understand how the Bank has responded to the governance challenges.
1.10 The mission reviewed work by the Bank and other development partners in core
public sector areas and the possible links with improvements in service delivery. Also
reviewed were opportunities for using country systems, third-party monitoring mechanisms,
enhanced donor coordination, and other processes that are part of the GAC agenda. The
mission also examined strategic elements that might affect the willingness of the government
to reform, and the leverage that the Bank and other donors might have in promoting reform.
1.11 This evaluation reviewed the work by the Bank and other donors in core public sector
areas and possible links with improvements in service delivery. The mission looked at the
opportunities for using country systems, third-party monitoring mechanisms, enhanced donor
coordination, and other processes that are part of the GAC agenda. Also examined were
geographic effects and other strategic elements that might affect the willingness of the
government to reform, and the leverage that the Bank and other donors might have in
promoting reform. Finally, the mission assessed whether opportunistic responses to
governance challenges might contribute to a future portfolio-wide approach to improving
governance.
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