The NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh has reinstated the registration of Muslim Aid-UK’s field office in the country, reversing a cancellation order issued on August 13, 2026. The decision was formalized in an order dated October 19, signed by Barrister Md Khalilur Rahman Khan, director (registration and audit) of the bureau.

Muslim Aid-UK’s Bangladesh office, registered under number 552 since November 10, 1991, had its registration revoked in August as part of regulatory action under the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act, 2016. The cancellation was challenged by the organisation's Country Director, Mohsin Siddiqui, who appealed to the Prime Minister’s Office. Following a hearing on August 17, the office directed the NGO Affairs Bureau to withdraw the cancellation order and take steps to reinstate the registration. The reinstatement is conditioned upon the restructuring of the organisation’s governing board and management, as well as adherence to all initial registration requirements.

Sources within the bureau, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that Muslim Aid-UK had previously come under government restrictions regarding its relief efforts among Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar. In October 2017, Muslim Aid-UK, along with two other NGOs—Islamic Relief and the Allama Fazlullah Foundation—were ordered to halt distribution of aid to Rohingya refugees amid allegations that some unauthorised activities were being conducted under the guise of relief work. However, this earlier restriction did not suspend the organisation’s broader activities in Bangladesh, which contrasts with the 2026 cancellation that affected its entire registration.

Muslim Aid-UK is a London-based international humanitarian and development organisation founded in November 1985 by a coalition of 23 British Muslim groups. Initially formed to provide famine relief in Africa, the organisation’s scope has expanded to include poverty alleviation, emergency disaster response, healthcare, education, safe water and sanitation, livelihood support, and rehabilitation for vulnerable populations.

The organisation first provided emergency assistance in Bangladesh during the severe floods of 1985, subsequently establishing a permanent field office. It formally launched sustained operations following the catastrophic 1991 cyclone, implementing both immediate relief projects and longer-term initiatives such as cyclone shelters and agricultural development to support local communities.

While the reinstatement allows Muslim Aid-UK to continue its work, the government’s conditions suggest intensified oversight and an expectation of improved governance and compliance going forward.