A Washington-based organisation founded by Bangladeshi journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey is facing questions over its financial transparency after public records reportedly showed conflicting tax identification numbers and addresses in connection with grants from the US-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Right to Freedom Inc. (R2F), which focuses on Bangladesh’s political developments, human rights and democratic governance, received two grants listed in NED records for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years.
However, the records identify the organisation under two different Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) and separate addresses, according to an investigative report published by Wireast on November 8.
NED’s FY2023 grant listing shows $67,867 allocated to R2F under EIN 83-9532690, with an address in Springfield, Virginia. Its FY2024 Schedule I lists another $38,132 under the same organisation’s name but gives a Washington, DC, address and EIN 83-0953269.
The latter identification number is reportedly associated with R2F in public nonprofit records. The two grants total $105,999.
Near-identical figures in tax filings
R2F’s 2023 tax return reported $106,000 in contributions, just one dollar more than the combined value of the two NED grants.
The same filing has raised further questions about the organisation’s expenditure. It reported total expenses of $79,923, including $6,777 in programme-service costs and $68,464 in management and administrative expenses.
According to Wireast, programme services accounted for approximately 6.4 per cent of reported contributions, while management and administration represented around 86 per cent of total expenditure.
The tax return does not provide a project-by-project breakdown of the expenses or identify how much was spent on Bangladesh-related activities.
The filing also reportedly classified all contributions as coming from related organisations, while providing limited information about the sources of the funds. Questions have also been raised over reported salaries and compensation, including $13,960 in other salaries and wages despite the organisation reporting no employees.
Questions over Bangladesh-focused activities
Founded by Ansarey, R2F has focused its public activities on Bangladesh’s elections, political repression, freedom of expression and human rights.
Former US ambassador to Bangladesh William B. Milam served as a prominent figure in the organisation’s leadership until his death, while former US diplomat Jon F. Danilowicz later became its interim executive director.
In March 2025, Milam and Danilowicz met then Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and discussed expanding R2F’s activities in Bangladesh.
During the same month, R2F and the Cosmos Foundation jointly organised a discussion in Dhaka titled “The Role of Human Rights Groups: Before and After July Revolution”. Danilowicz reportedly said the organisation was considering establishing a more regular presence in Bangladesh and developing partnerships with local organisations.
However, Wireast said publicly available records do not establish how the NED grants were allocated to specific Bangladesh programmes or what measurable outcomes were delivered.
Founder’s diplomatic appointment adds to scrutiny
Ansarey served as R2F’s executive director until October 2024, when the organisation announced his departure to join Bangladesh’s interim government and represent the country abroad.
He was subsequently appointed an ambassador with the rank of senior secretary and served as Bangladesh’s ambassador to Mexico, with concurrent accreditation to several Latin American countries.
In March 2026, the government withdrew him from that posting and transferred him to the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Dhaka.
Wireast noted that Ansarey was the only director named in R2F’s 2023 tax return, where he was listed with zero compensation. The report called for clarification about the organisation’s financial oversight, spending approvals and governance arrangements during his tenure.
Questions over consistency of human rights advocacy
The report also questioned whether R2F maintained consistent scrutiny of human rights developments under successive administrations in Bangladesh.
According to Wireast, the organisation was particularly vocal in criticising the Awami League government but made comparatively limited public interventions over rights concerns reported during the subsequent interim administration and the BNP government.
The report cited concerns over arbitrary detentions, pressure on journalists and protests by garment workers, arguing that R2F’s public response to such developments appeared limited.
It also acknowledged an R2F statement warning that proposed changes to the National Human Rights Commission and enforced-disappearance ordinances could weaken human rights protections.
R2F and NED yet to respond
Wireast said it sent separate emails to R2F and NED Press Secretary Carolyn Stewart on October 31, seeking explanations regarding the conflicting EINs, different addresses, grant records and expenditure figures.
As of November 8, neither organisation had responded to the publication’s questions.
The report called on NED to clarify the identity of the legal entities that received the grants and explain its verification and financial monitoring procedures. It also urged R2F to publish a detailed breakdown of its funding, salaries, administrative expenditure and Bangladesh-related programme costs.
The discrepancies and expenditure figures do not, by themselves, establish financial misconduct. However, the questions raised by the report underscore the need for greater transparency and independent scrutiny of how the grants were received, managed and spent.
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