New Delhi: The controversial $21 million funding that the United States government allegedly allocated ‘for voter turnout’ was actually for Bangladesh, not India, according to The Indian Express.
The outlet reported the shift in seismic issue on Friday citing the US federal spending records.
The controversy began roiling after Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk, on Sunday cancelled several international aid initiatives made through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The reason reportedly cited for canceling the funding was that it was ‘costing taxpayers’ dollars.
USAID, an independent agency, is mainly taking care of foreign aid and development assistance on behalf of the US government, according to Scroll.
On January 24, Trump put a 90-day freeze on money that the agency distributes.
Funding initiatives revoked on Sunday includes alleged grant of $21 million ‘for voter turnout’ in India.
This is allegedly part of $486 million in grants to the nonprofit organisation Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening.
The consortium comprises three organisations namely the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute and The International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
The consortium reportedly supports what the Scroll report said ‘elections and political transitions globally’.
It is funded by the USAID Global Elections and Political Transitions Program.
The Indian Express reported that ‘The only ongoing USAID grant to CEPPS matching the denomination of $21 million and the purpose of voting was sanctioned … in July 2022 for USAID’s Amar Vote Amar (My Vote is Mine). This is a project in Bangladesh,’ which according to the report is meant for three years until July 2025.
It is reported that $13.4 million of this $21 million has already been disbursed for ‘political and civic engagement’ among students in Bangladesh ahead of the January 2024 general election and other events.
A Dhaka-based USAID political processes adviser confirmed the grant on social media in December 2024 during a visit to the National Democratic Institute office in Washington.
Social media posts by the Micro Governance Research programme at the University of Dhaka and the programme’s director Associate Professor Aynul Islam that The Indian Express quoted showed how the US fund was used.
It is reported citing a post that 544 youth events had been organised in Bangladeshi universities since September 2022.
These events were organized ‘to promote youth democratic leadership and civic engagement that directly reached 10,264 university youth through 221 action projects and 170 democracy sessions, among others!'