| In international development, donor organizations often establish community-based organizations (CBOs) when they implement community development projects. As these CBOs are expected to work as intermediaries between residents and donor organizations, questions of accountability often arise within these linkages. This study examines how various actors within a community development project are held accountable, and hold others accountable, for project activities in one small village in Bangladesh. The study found that while the CBO enjoyed the authority to manage resources, it also faced pressure from the donor organization and from residents for ensuring the project's success. These structures thus enabled the CBO to take an active role in project implementation. Accountability within the CBO was well-established, due to the joint responsibility of the members. On the contrary, downward accountability from the CBO to residents seemed to be weaker than that of upward accountability from the CBO toward the donor organization. |
