The Local Government Division (LGD), in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Embassy of Switzerland, hosted a national-level event titled “Urban Governance and Economic Development” on Thursday at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka.
The program opened with remarks from representatives of LGD, JICA, and the Embassy of Switzerland.
They emphasized collective importance of improving urban governance, enhancing municipal capacities, and scaling models that have demonstrated impact across multiple municipalities and City Corporations.
Md Wahadur Rahman, joint secretary of LGD and project director of Prabriddhi, highlighted the project’s contribution to municipal capacity and local economic development.
Ichiguchi Tomohide, chief representative of Jica Bangladesh, underscored Japan’s long-standing partnership with Bangladesh in strengthening local governance.
Speaking on behalf of Switzerland, Diepak Elmer, deputy head of mission and head of cooperation, affirmed Switzerland’s continued commitment to fostering competitive, resilient, and citizen-centric municipalities across the country.
The ceremony was formally inaugurated by Md Mahmudul Hasan, director general of the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Inspection Wing, Local Government Division who noted the increasing relevance of well-functioning municipalities in driving Bangladesh’s economic ambitions.
Following the opening session, project teams and municipal representatives showcased their achievements under the Prabriddhi and C4C 2 programs.
Presenters from municipalities including Bogura, Shibganj, Bhairab, Jessore, and Kushtia shared practical experiences from the field, reflecting on their efforts to expand revenue mobilization, modernize service delivery systems, and institutionalize citizen-friendly practices, strengthening topics such as economic census, holding tax reassessment initiatives, digital billboards and municipal communication systems, digital transformation through One-Stop Service Centres (OSSC), and the strengthening of women’s economic participation through Women’s Business Corners in different municipalities.
Throughout the day, participants engaged in discussions on budgeting and financial reporting, city governance assessment, performance metrics, and emerging lessons from city corporations including Dhaka North, Khulna, Chattogram, Comilla, and Narayanganj.
Speakers highlighted the value of data-driven decision-making, public–private partnership models, MSME development initiatives, and the practical application of LED tools and methodologies developed through the projects.
A high-level plenary dialogue held in the afternoon focused on the strategic direction for strengthening urban governance in Bangladesh.