Constitution

1.  Name                          :       NIHARIKA     

2. Registered Office      :        132, Darussalam (1^st floor), Eastern HousingProject-1, Kalyanpur  Mirpur, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh                                                       

3. Nature: It is a voluntary, non-political, non-profit making voluntary development organization established for providing services irrespective of religion, cast and creed within Bangladesh combating with and prioritizing the needs of the time.

4. Scope of operation : The scope of this organization will primarily be all over Bangladesh.

5. Objectives:

1. To implement action programs and income generating activities for poverty alleviation of the disadvantaged and the destitute by way of lending money by a appropriate rate of interest/service charge as the case may be.
2. To raise fund for the organization by receiving loan/grants and other financial help against service charge/interest from local and foreign donors/agent and subscriptions in order to achieve the aims and objectives of the organization.
3. o encourage the target beneficiaries for voluntary regular savings on weekly/monthly or a period of term basis.
4. To support poor families through various programs so that they become able to meet the requirement of foods, shelter, clothing, sanitation, health-car, education, family planning and the working knowledge of modern technologies.
5. To support in every project area in order to increase substantially the production of food grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, poultry, dickey, eggs, milk, meat and livestock through maximum utilization of internal resources.
6. To introduce training programs to educate the community specially the poor people and thus educate them in various vocational skills which will help them in becoming self reliant.
7. To start a process of gradual and steady replacement of all unproductive and useless tress by high quality fruit trees and quick cash yielding perennial plants, which give recurring return for a long period. This will be done in such a way so that environment is adequately protected.
8. To undertake various programs for safe and proper disposal of domestic and industrial waste.
9. To disseminate necessary knowledge about sanitation in the project areas and to implement various sanitary facilities, such as tube wells, latrines, sewerage systems and to build infrastructure facilities in coastal areas and other areas of need for the prevention of cyclone, flood, tidal bore and other natural calamities.
10. To undertake formal and non-formal education schemes in order to education schemes in order to promote literacy.
11. To support other organization in implementing projects aimed at poverty alleviation. 
12. To undertake various programs aimed at the restoration of human rights and practice good governance.
13. To organize seminars, symposiums, workshops, conference, etc, in order to facilitate the interchange of knowledge, experience, information and technology regarding development, health-care, education and human rights.
14. To establish and run libraries, research facilities and other educational projects to study various development schemes.
15. To from net works and ties within the similar nature of organization.
16. To initiate, undertake and promote adult and child education in the project areas.
17. To organize and mobilize human resource for the purpose of effective implementation of the above state projects.
18. To conduct detailed survey of the existing communication facilities and identify areas of need and therefore take necessary developments measures.
19. To conduct detailed record of population, unemployment, family planning and other of the community in order to recommend and implement various development measures.
20. To create awareness among the people for community activities.
21. Provide vocational training for destitute men/women and their families to meet up their basic needs and accommodate them in socio-economical activities through different type of income generating programs.
22. To implement preventive and curative heath & nutrition programs in order to promote health and nutrition awareness and ultimately health services.
23. To conduct appropriate programs to promote urban and rural sanction.   
24. To purchase, acquire, take on lease, sell, lease out, mortgage or otherwise deal with land and other assets in furtherance of the objectives of alleviation of poverty.
25. To enter into any legal arrangement with the Government or any local statutory body or any public, private or international organization, for any work conducive to the objectives of this organization.
26. To prepare appropriate brochures advertise though various media services in order to promote the activities and objectives of the organization to the government and the people.
27. To create the necessary infra-structure of the organization and to recruit, appoint, receive on deputation or employ on contract the required executives, consultants, specialists and supporting and supporting staff to carry forward the objectives of the organization.
28. To take over or accept by way of gift or trust the assets of any organization or individual for the benefits of the owners or in furtherance of the goal of the organization.
29. To prepare rules, regulations, by-laws, codes of conduct, service rules, etc. for all those connected with the organization.
30. To utilize all income of the organization for advancement of its objectives.
31. To conduct all other lawful activities as are conducive or incidental to the attainment of the objects and furthering the growth of the organization.
32. To conduct all other lawful activities to promote awareness regarding women rights, elimination of gender dispirits and reduce women & children trafficking and violation.

6. Structure of the organization: The following shall be the management authorities of the organization:

• The General Body.
• The Executive Committee.
• Such other bodies, committees, sub-committees or panels as may be appointed add/or constituted for time to time by the executive committee of the organization.

A:  The General Body. The Supreme body of the organization will be called the general body which will be comprised of all members of the organization. The General Body will be consist of number of members as needed time to time. The General Body will lay down the policy and guidelines of action of the organization, subject to the constitution and the rules and regulations herein contained and will direct the Executive Committee of the organization in the manner laid down hereafter.

 A.1 The General Body will determine its own organizational set up, frame rules of business and fix the admission fee and annual fee to be paid by every member with its revision time to time.

A.2 The Chairperson of the Organization shall generally preside over all meeting of the General Body.

A.3 The Chairperson may invite any person other than a member to attend a meeting of the Organization. Such invitee, to be known as special invitee, shall not, however, be entitled to vote at the meeting.

A.4 The first General Meeting of the Organization shall be held within 3 (three) months after the registration of the Organization and at such place, time and date, as the Executive Committee decide.

A.5  Subsequent general meeting of the Organization shall be held at least once in every year at such time and place as may be decided by the Executive Committee, but not more than fifteen calendar months after the holding of the last preceding general meeting.

A.6 General Meeting shall be to receive and consider the annual report of the Executive Committee and the Auditors report and then elect the members of the Executive Committee, if and when required. The General body will approve program polices, yearly budget and Capital issues.

A.7  Fifty one percent of the existing members of the organization, present personally, shall be the quorum for a general meeting.

B) THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:  The Organization shall have an Executive Committee which will be responsible for all administrative, financial, planning and executing responsibilities. The general body will from the Executive Committee for a period of 5 years. The Committee will be formed either by mutual agreement or by direct voting. The office bears of the executive committee will be as follows:

  President  -  1

 Vice-President   -   1

 General Secretary   -    1

 Treasurer    -  1

 Executive Member  -   3

 Total    =   7   

B.1 All administrative and management affairs of the organization shall be managed by the Executive Committee which shall have the responsibility to determine the direction sand scope of the activities of the organization.

B.2 In case of equality of votes, the President shall have a casting vote in addition of the vote to which he/she is entitled as a member.

B.3  The Executive Committee shall hold at least four regular meeting in a year.

B.4 All meetings of the Executive Committee shall be presided over by the Chairperson and in case of his/her inability to do so and absence the Vice-Chairperson will preside over the meeting.

B.5   Minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee shall be recorded by the Secretary of the Organization or in absence, by one of the members as appointed by the President of the meeting. The minutes shall be duly approved at the following regular meeting and filed in the permanent records of the organization.

B.6  The Executive Committee shall determine the powers, functions, responsibilities and duties of all it’s members and of all project committees, sub-committees and of employees appointed by/or under the authority of the Executive Board including fixing remuneration for office bearers/employees etc.

B.7  If any vacancy arises in the Executive Committee owing to resignation/death/any other  ground, the Executive  committee will be responsible to fill up the vacancy immediately  by a suitable member from its general body through its EC meeting and such resignation shall take effect only from the date of it’s acceptance by the Executive Committee.

7)President

7. 1  President  will preside over all the meetings of the organization.

7.2 President   shall have a certain role in addition to his/her roles as a member.

7.3  The President  may call or may require the Chief Executive Officer to call a meeting of the General Committee or the Executive Committee at any time.

7.4 The President   may in writing delegate such of his/her powers as he/she may consider necessary to the Chief Executive Office or any member of the organization.

7.5  President   will sign all the documents, certificates, bonds and minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee. 

7.6   President   will be one of the joint signatories of the organizations bank accounts.

8.  The vice -President : In absence of the President  , the vice President   will  Exercise the responsibilities of the President   excluding the financial roles.   

9. The General Secretary:   The general secretary will be the functional chief and will be responsible to took after overall administration & management of the organization as the CEO. The Executive committee may appoint any other external personality as chief executive affair of the organization to look after the overall administration and management of the organization if needed.

 9.1  The General Secretary will be responsible for preparing and implementing plans, programs, projects and all activities subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. He/she will control funds and assts of the organization and will exercise such emergency powers as are conferred on him/her by the Executive Committee.

9.2 He will exercise supervision and disciplinary control over the work and conduct of employees of the organization.

9.3  He will co-ordinate and exercise general supervision over all the activities of the organization.

9.4   He will perform all such activities as may be asked by the Executive Committee in the interest of the organization.   

9.5  The GS may in writing delegate such of his powers as he may consider necessary to any member of the organization and it such an event, he will keep the Chairperson informed in writing of his decision.

10. The Treasurer:

10.1The Treasurer of the organization shall be responsible for maintaining overall accounts  following the procedures laid down by the Executive Board, He will present the Annual budget, and annual financial statements in the meeting of the GB and EC.

 10.2The Treasurer shall perform such other activities as many be asked by the Executive Committee of the organization regarding accounts and audits.

 11)       GENERAL MEMBERHSIP

11.1Any person interested in the voluntary activities having objectives for the removal or  alleviation of poverty and for activities having objectives for the removal or alleviation of poverty and for income generating projects in Bangladesh is eligible to become a member. He has to fill in the organization’s membership application form which will be required to be recommended by two existing members and approved by both the Executive Committee and the General Body. Annual subscription for every member shall be Tk. 100/- only.

11.2Membership will cease on the happening of any of the following events.

11.3On the members death, resignation, lunacy or conviction for  criminal offence. 

11.4When a member does not attend three consecutive general meetings of the organization without prior leave of absence granted by the Executive Committee.

11.5When the organization in the general meeting by a simple majority, decides to terminate  the membership of any person with or without assigning any reason whatsoever.

11.6When a member/office bearer wishes to resign from his membership/Executive committee of the organization, he shall forward a resignation letter to the general  secretary of the organization and such resignation shall take effect only from the date of it’s acceptance by the Executive Committee.In the case of General Secretary,  resignation letter will be submitted to the President.

12.  Meetings:   The organization will hold meetings with the following nature:

1. General body meeting: The general body meetings will be held once in a year with 30 lays prior notice. Tow thirds of the total number of members presence will be required for quorum.

2.  The Executive Committee Meeting: The Executive Committee will sit at least 4 times in a year with at least 7 days prior notice, general majority will be the quorum of EC meeting. The Chairperson will be entitled for casting vote in the case of two equal stand of present EC voters.

3.  Emergency meeting: Both the GB and EC may call emergency meeting on very emergency ground of the organization. It these cases at least 3 days and 24 hours prior notice shall be required for GB and EC meeting respectively.

But two thirds of the total members presence shall be required for the quorum at both the bodies.

4.  Meeting on requisition:Two thirds of the total members may require such meeting by signing and submit to the Chairperson. This meeting must be held at the office of the organization. Two thirds members’ presence will be required for quorum. 

13)   Financial Management: 

• The organization will have two separate funds. One is Administrative Fund and other is the project operation Fund.
• The Organization will operate separate Bank accounts is any approved Bank. President, General secretary and the treasurer will be the joint signatories of the Bank accounts, signatures of at least two signatories will be required to withdraw fund from the accounts where the General Secretary will be the must.
• All types of organization funds will have to be deposited in the Bank account, Not more than Tk. 50,000 (Fifty  thousand) will be allowed to keep as cash in hand to meet usual expenses.

14.      Sources of funds:

• Membership tees
•  Contribution of the GB and EC members.
• Service Change from various projects.       
• Grand and donations from the Govt. or any local body Banks and financial institutions or any private individual.
• Grand and donation from any overseas donor.
• Any other source approved by the EC.

15.  Expenditure: The income of the organization shall be applied solely towards promotion and attainment of the aims and objectives and no member of the organization shall be entitled to any profits or dividends and/or bonus from the income of the organization, provided that noting herein contained shall debug any member from receiving traveling expenses and remuneration for the services rendered by him to the organization.

16)   Audit

16.1The accounts of the organization will be audited by a reputed firm of auditors selected  by the Executive Committee.

 16.2Every account when audited and approved by the general meeting shall be conclusive  except as regards any error discovered therein within two months after the approval  thereof. Whenever any such error is discovered within that period, the account shall  forthwith be corrected and henceforth be conclusive.

17) Amendment: These Rules and Regulations may be amended, modified, substituted, altered or replaced by a three fifth majority of the General Committee, or in an extraordinary general meeting, provided that a notice in writing specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution shall have been served on the members of the organization at least fifteen days prior to the meeting.

 18) Abolition  In an event of abolition of the organization, it’s property, movable and immovable, tangible or intangible (including copyrights, patents and intellectual properties), shall be default within such a manner as may be determined by the General Body, before it’s abolition, by a three fifths majority of the total members of the General Body. Provided that a notice in writing specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution shall have been served on the members of the organization at least twenty one days prior to the meeting.