Who We Are

A group of Freedom Fighters of the Liberation War of Bangladesh led by Md. Rafiqul Alam devoted themselves for the service of humanity in the Hatiya Island, which was devastated and ravaged by war of 1971. The group initially activated themselves with benevolence and as a philanthropic organization without much of official identity. It had taken the name of Dwip Unnayan Songstha (DUS), a Bangla sentence, whose literal transliteration is “Island Development Association” of Bangladesh.

DUS initially began its social service to support the victims of the Liberation War of 1971 and also the devastating cyclone of 1970, which affected thousands of households and their philanthropic activities mainly focused on providing relief to the devastated humanity and also to support them in recovering from their plight. This informal voluntary initiative had taken an organizational shape with formal recognition during 1982.

DUS mandated to alleviate poverty, empower the community, establish human rights, promote essential health care, disaster related education and socio-economic development of the poorest people of costal area.

Work Area:
DUS now has been established itself as a potential and trusted indigenous NGO based in the offshore island of Hatiya of Noakhali district, which is located almost at the mid coastal region of Bangladesh. It has covered each and every upazilla under Noakhali district along with Hatiya & Nizhum Dwip as well as few upazillas of Pirozpur, Laxmipur and Bhola District.

Vision

DUS’s vision is to ensure a society, which would be free of poverty; will enjoy social justice and economic freedom, and also to establish an equitable & gender balanced healthy society; contribute to all human being to live with dignity & social security.

Mission

DUS’s mission is to provide support to optimize the utility of the unfolded human capacity so that they can utilize the local resources intensively so that they can gradually alleviate their condition, which are created by regular natural disaster in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. DUS also envisages to create the scope of development affords in an integrated manner so that sustainable livelihood ventures emerge in the community according to their aspiration.

Goal

The goal of the organization is to alleviate the range of poverty, enhance empowerment of the community, establish human rights, promote essential health care and managing disaster effectively and emancipate sustainable development endeavors.

Objectives

In conformity with MDG & SDG DUS has aimed to achieve the following objectives by 2020:

• Eradicate poverty through organization building of poor and their access to micro-finance.
• Improvement of maternal and child health by institutionalizing community health services.
• Promotion of sanitation and safe water practice through behavior change practice.
• Enabling the community capacity to cope with natural disasters in the locality.
• Schooling of dropout and working children in-formal and non-formal schools.
• Protecting Coastal ecosystem and promoting eco-friendly agriculture and social forestry.
• Strengthening local institution as to promote development initiatives in a sustainable way.
• Raising awareness on climate change adaptation in coastal community.
• Ensure market accessibility of the products of its beneficiaries or the project clients through implementation of Value Chain

Legal Status:

Progression

1972 to 1985

• The organization was founded by a group of devoted volunteers and began working for the victims of the Liberation War of 1971 and devastating 1970 cyclone affected households focusing on relief and recovery.
• Relief and rehabilitation program for the victims and initiate disaster management program, and Rehabilitate the landless farmer into the Government. Khash land.
• Turned into an organizational shape and named as Dwip Unnayan Sangstha.
• Began Community Mobilization and providerevolving credit support to community.
• Registered with Ministry of Social Services & Welfare.
• Registered with NGO Affairs Bureau.
• Registered with Family Planning Directorate under Ministry of Health to operate with health and family planning intervention.
• Socio-economic development of the poor.

1986 to 2000

• Strengthening Local Government bodies in the area of good governance, accountancy and resource management supported by IVS/ USAID.
• Capacity building of Union Parishad and Upazila Parishad for effective disaster management in four coastal district supported by CARE-Bangladesh & USAID.
• Island fisheries development project implementation supported by DFID.
• Disaster rehabilitation support project implementation supported by AusAid/Oxfam-America/Oxfam-UK, Oxfam-Hong Kong under British ODA.
• Construction of Cyclone shelter, supported by CAA Australia.
• Housing support for poor, supported by British ODA/CARE-Bangladesh/AusAid.
• Livestock development for poor, supported by DANIDA, CIDA.
• Integrated Socio-economic development program supported by Oxfam-UK.
• Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation for Cyclone in coastal islands supported by Oxfam-UK, British ODA, CARE-Bangladesh.
• Livelihood Rehabilitation for Flood Affected Fisheries Households in Hatiya Island supported by DFID.
• Flood 98 Rehabilitation program supported by DFID, Oxfam-GB.

2000 to 2010

• Rehabilitation Support for Flood Affected Households at Hatiya Upazilla supported by DFID.
• Disaster Management Project for Local Govt. Bodies in Coastal Districts supported by CARE-Bangladesh, USAID.
• Sustainable Livelihood for Poor Islanders supported by Oxfam-UK.
• Char Development & Settlement project supported by Netherland Govt. and GoB.
• Restoration Program for Tidal Surge Affected People at Hatiya and Monpura Upazilla supported by CARE-Bangladesh.
• Improvement of Health and Family Welfare supported by British ODA.
• Non-formal primary education for Vulnerable Community supported by BRAC.
• Water supply & sanitation project for Disaster Affected Community supported by DANIDA & GoB.
• Livestock Development Project for Island Poor supported by DANIDA & GoB.
• Human resource and skill development in Disaster Risk Reduction supported by Japanese Government.
• Adarsha Gram development Project for Landless Poor supported by EC.
• HIV-AIDS Prevention program for Vulnerable Community supported by UNICEF.
• Relief & Rehabilitation for SIDR 2007 victims in Bhola and Pirojpur District supported by UNDP.

2011 till to Date

• Rural Micro Credit, Urban Micro Credit, Micro Enterprise, Seasonal Loan, Ultra-poor, Agriculture support service for 50,000 HH in major Upazilas of Noakhali and Monpura Island with the partnership of PKSF.
• Essential Health Service supported by Bangladesh NGO Foundation at Nizum Dwip at Hatiya Upazila.
• Social and Livelihood Program under Char Development and Settlement Project- iv at Nolerchar of Chanondi Union of Hatiya Upazila supported by Netherland Govt. & GoB.
• Setting up of Community Radio Station at Hatiya Island supported by JICA & BHN-Japan.
• ENRICH a social Development Project for underserved women and children at Dhanshiri Union of Companigonj Upazila and Nizumdwip union of Hatiya Upazila.
• SMART project a marginal and landless farmer development project towards socio economic development for 5000 HH.
• LIFT project to enrich and upgrade community Radio Sagor Dwip program.
• Market access program for the products of the beneficiaries and/or project clients through establishing value chain.

Networks with NGOs

Governance & Management

DUS’s internal control system is designed to get reasonable assurance about effectiveness and efficiency of operations, reliability of financial data and compliance of applicable rules, regulations and procedures. Management’s integrity, attitude, actions, and ethical values help raise consciousness control among the staff. DUS management believes that controls are important to achieve the objectives and to communicate its view to staff at all levels. Clear policies and procedures, documentation process, table of authority, segregation of staff duties, supervision and accountability have made the organization transparent. Considering the internal control a continuous process DUS periodically reviews and modifies the system in the changing circumstances. At the top of its control mechanism, there exists the willingness of DUS governing body to ensure internal control and transparency.

The governance structure of DUS promotes transparency and accountability. Its Executive Committee consists of highly distinguished professionals, activists and entrepreneurs, who are elected by the General Body and bring their diverse skills and experience to the governance of DUS. The governing body is assisted by an audit committee which aids in reviewing the financial condition of the organization, the effectiveness of the internal control system performance, and the findings of the internal and external auditors in order to recommend appropriate remedial action.

Internal and External Audit

DUS conducts an internal audit to assist management by providing independent advice on operations and performance and by assessing the effectiveness of internal control. In addition, periodic monitoring analysis using selected indicators to enable managers to determine whether key activities are being carried out as planned and whether they are having the expected impact on the target population.

DUS Executive Committee (2015-2017)

Executive Committee consists of highly distinguished professionals, activists and entrepreneurs, who are elected by the General Body and the current Executive Committee Members are as follows:

Core Values

Core values as preserved by DUS are:

• Transparency and accountability
• Cost effective service delivery
• Efficiency and effectiveness
• Human potential development, and
• Sustainability at all levels.

Recognition

DUS had earned numerous recognition through its arduous struggle for many years; some of them are as follows:

Poribesh Award 2014: On the eve of celebrating World Environment Day DUS has been awarded with Divisional Award in 2014 by Directorate of Environment, Govt. of Bangladesh for contribution in environment conservation and pollution control in the coastal district of Bangladesh.

Mother Teresa Award 2014: DUS had been awarded with Mother Teresa Award-2014 on the eve of celebrating Bengali New Year Day 1422, as recognition of its excellent humanitarian service towards mankind since 1972 onward. The award was handed over to Mr. Rafiqul Alam ED, DUS by Justice Jaynul Abedin, Bangladesh Supreme Court in a colorful ceremony on 12 April 2015 at Maitree Auditirium of Mukti Bhaban, Dhaka. The special guests in the occasion was Dr. Md. Shajahan, Secretary General of Bangladesh Human Rights Bureau and Lt. General Harun ur Rashid (BP) former Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army.

M.A.G Osmani Award-2015: For the cause of special humanitarian assistance in our great liberation War during 1971, Freedom Fighter Md. Rafiqul Alam ( ED,DUS) has been awarded with MAG Osmani Award -2015 by 1952,s Language Movement Group. Lion Shamsul Huda language movement activist handed over the award to Mr. Alam in a colorful ceremony.

Kazi Nazrul award 2015: In the eve of celebrating National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam birth day, DUS has been awarded with National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Award-2015 as recognition of excellent social service in disaster response in the underserved coastal community of Bangladesh.

Sher-e-Bangla award 2015: DUS has been awarded with Sher-e-Bangla award 2015 for Social Service in the eve of celebrating 44 years of National Independence Day. The award was handed over to Principal Enamul Haque , Chairperson DUS by Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury in a colorful ceremony on 20 March 2015 at the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association.