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Abstract
This research investigated the community empowerment initiatives of Islamic Relief (IR) Bangladesh, a faith-based non-governmental organization (NGO), using Laverack's domain approach. The study employed a quantitative approach, where data were collected from the beneficiaries of the Action for Peoples Rights and Livelihoods (APRIL) project of IRB in the Kalikagaon village in Thakurgaon District, Bangladesh. Findings revealed that IR Bangladesh primarily empowered women and shared similarities with conventional NGOs in the country. However, unique aspects included non-interest-based loans, revolving funds, and community-led group operations. The organization's services were inclusive, irrespective of religious affiliation. The study confirmed that IR's activities contribute to community empowerment across Laverack's nine domains. Policy implications include establishing an Apex Body (Apex Body refers to the highest decision-making and coordinating authority within the community, often responsible for overseeing and managing the overall implementation of various development initiatives.) at project inception, forming a national alliance with IR, providing ongoing training for collective responsibility, and emphasizing publications and research to counter misconceptions. The study findings hold relevance beyond rural Bangladesh, offering insights for development interventions in similar socio-cultural contexts, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals in various developing countries.

This article makes an attempt to assess the process and outcomes of faith-based non-governmental organizations' (FBNGOs) interventions toward community empowerment in social development. Data are derived from contemporary literature using a Qualitative Interpretative Meta-Synthesis (QIMS). Results show that there are very few publications that directly examine the contributions of FBNGOs toward community empowerment. There are some publications which indirectly examine the role of the components of community empowerment, such as community participation, community capacity building, local leadership development, or community resource mobilization, though these are mostly concentrated in Western and African countries. After 9/11, much literature has shown that the role of Islamic NGOs has emerged as a significant aspect in social development discourse. The findings will be of interest to policymakers, donors, and development practitioners.