Bangladesh, June 2 -- For decades, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has operated under the banner of transparency and democratic ideals, offering an overt alternative to the clandestine operations once associated with the CIA. Founded in 1983 during the Reagan administration, NED was created as a quasi-independent nonprofit designed to project American influence abroad through support for civil society, human rights advocacy, and pro-democracy movements.

But in a dramatic departure from its original ethos, NED has now taken a decisive turn away from the very transparency it has long championed. Citing concerns over recipient safety and “duty of care”, the organization has adopted a new policy that eliminates public ...