He made this call in his speech as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the two-day National Urban Forum-2026 at Hotel Sonargaon in the capital on Monday (September 7).
The minister said urbanization should not be seen merely as the development of large buildings, roads, water supply and sewerage systems. Ensuring the quality of life, happiness and comfort of urban residents should be the main goal of urban development.
He said the needs of underprivileged people must be given special consideration during urban planning. Although the wealthy can meet many of their own needs, the effective role of the state and local government institutions is crucial in improving the quality of life of poor and marginalized communities.
The local government minister stressed the need to further strengthen local government institutions to ensure the development of marginalized communities. He also noted that local government and effective governance are closely linked to urbanization.
Organized jointly by the Local Government Division, the United Nations Development Programme and the government of the United Kingdom, the forum featured discussions on rural socio-economic development, tackling climate change, public health, urban development planning and effective urban services.
