In Bangladesh, the old adage still holds: policies are made for the people, but their participation is very seldom in the process. Too often, development plans and projects are conceived in air-conditioned boardrooms at the central levels, shaped by bureaucratic convenience rather than community priorities. Citizens are informed and occasionally consulted, yet seldom truly empowered to influence the agenda. Participation, in this setting, becomes more performance than partnership a one-way flow of information from government to people, with little room for genuine feedback or accountability. Devoid of a meaningful response mechanism, such engagement turns into political theatre, breeding frustration, disillusionment and a growing crisis of trust between citizens and the State.
To achieve good governance and meet the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 16, peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, Bangladesh must move from policy talk to real participatory action. This shift requires local systems that listen, respond and stay accountable. At present, planning of development projects at the local level is still highly centralised. Central Government decide the priorities, while local governments mostly implement the instructions. Yet real progress begins at the community level. From rural unions to city wards, citizens should have a voice not only in putting plans into action but also in shaping and reviewing them. True development cannot come from the top down approach; it must grow from the ground up.
Citizen engagement is key to improving local government. To achieve meaningful development, local authorities must adopt a bottom-up approach that brings people directly into decision-making and implementation. When citizens feel unheard, they might no interest in the ownership of the initiatives though it is for their betterment. Weak monitoring allows projects to drift, resources to be wasted and progress to stall. People may attend meetings, sign forms, or fill in surveys, yet if their voices make no difference, participation becomes little more than formality.
Citizen participation is vital for good governance because it helps align development plans and projects with local needs. When residents take part in setting priorities, projects are based on real demand rather than top-down assumptions. This makes development more relevant and helps reduce waste. Participation also builds legitimacy and a sense of ownership. When people see that their voices count, they are more willing to support decisions, help with implementation and hold service providers to account. Active citizen involvement strengthens transparency and accountability the core pillars of good governance. A participatory process allows public scrutiny, limits elite control and fosters trust between citizens and the state.
One of the key issues in Bangladesh is the limited power and autonomy of local governments. Despite several reform commissions over the years, true decentralisation has yet to take shape. Another major concern is the weakness of feedback and response systems. Many local development processes are still driven by top-down project structures that leave little space for citizen oversight. People may be consulted during the planning stage, but the systems for monitoring progress or addressing complaints remain weak or entirely missing. Without effective feedback loops, participation loses its meaning and fails to improve the quality of governance.
To turn commitment into action, Bangladesh must ensure citizens鈥� participation at every stage of development planning from needs assessment to evaluation. Citizens should be seen not as passive beneficiaries but as active partners whose insights can shape better priorities and outcomes. Local governments must therefore create inclusive tools such as report cards, community scorecards, participatory budgeting and public hearings to make citizen voices count. Yet participation cannot end with consultation. Governance systems must include clear response mechanisms so that public inputs are recognised, acted upon and communicated back. Without such feedback, participation becomes symbolic and weakens trust. Governments, local authorities and civil society must work together to build citizen-centered governance grounded in transparency, accountability and responsiveness. Mere engagement not suffice the purpose but to make the concept operational rigorous research initiatives are to taken for find the ways for effective engagement.
For genuine participation to thrive, local governments must be empowered both legally and financially. True decentralisation through the transfer of decision-making authority, fiscal resources and oversight power is vital to align national plans with local realities. Strengthening local capacity would bring decisions closer to citizens, making development more relevant and responsive. Equally, a cultural shift is needed within the bureaucracy: from rule-making to service-oriented leadership. Training, incentives and reforms should nurture responsiveness, humility and collaboration. Digital tools such as e-portals, monitoring dashboards and feedback systems can further strengthen inclusivity and accountability, but access must extend at grass root level and marginalised groups.
Citizen participation should also be anchored in the spirit of SDG 16, which calls for inclusive, transparent and accountable institutions. Embedding participatory planning in national policy can transform governance from a promise into a practice of democracy. Good governance is realised when citizens are heard, institutions are accountable and development reflects shared priorities. Bangladesh must move beyond symbolic engagement to a model where people are active partners in shaping their future where public institutions respond not with formality, but with meaningful action. The policy makers should keep in mind the reality while making polices for the citizens.
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Md Mominur Rahman is an assistant professor and Md Moniruzzaman is a professor at the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management and a former additional secretary to the Government of Bangladesh.
