Bogura, 25 August 2025: Bogura Municipality organized a regional campaign and seminar on Local Economic Development and the Role of Municipalities. The event was held on Monday (25 August 2025) at Shaheed Titu Auditorium. During the occasion, a three-day training workshop on Local Economic Development was also inaugurated for 60 officials and business representatives from 11 municipalities in the Bogura district.
The campaign was supported by PRABRIDDHI, a Local Economic Development (LED) project, funded by the Governments of Bangladesh and Switzerland, co-implemented by the Local Government Division (LGD) and Swisscontact Bangladesh.
The chief guest of the event was Hosna Afroza, Deputy Commissioner and Senior District Magistrate of Bogura. Distinguished guests included Mr. Jiban Krishna Saha Roy, Director General of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA); Mr. Rezaul Karim Badshah, Former Mayor of Bogura Municipality; and Mr. Rukhen Uddin Ahmed, Senior Advisor of the PRABRIDDHI project. More than 300 participants, including local government officials, business representatives, journalists, women entrepreneurs and student delegates attended the event.
During the seminar, different initiatives taken by Bogura Municipality for the commercial expansion of the light engineering sector, as well as the successes of local entrepreneurs, were presented. Participants also gained insights into the process of local economic development and the formulation of long-term business strategies.
The welcome speech at the event was delivered by Md. Masum Ali Beg (Deputy Secretary), Administrator of Bogura Municipality and Deputy Director of Local Government. Citing the examples of Alibaba and Uber, he said, “Small-scale initiatives at the local level play a crucial role in local economic development. These initiatives not only create employment opportunities but also lay the foundation for gradual growth into larger industries and businesses. The PROGRESS project is working to strengthen the local economy by providing support and institutional assistance to such small-scale initiatives.”
One of the key responsibilities of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) is investment promotion. Speaking as a special guest, Jibon Krishna Saha Roy, Director General of BIDA said, “Alongside foreign investors, we are also working with development partners to attract local investors. While reforms are being implemented at the national level, their success largely depends on the activities of local government institutions. The PROGRESS project is working to bridge this gap. Without improving the business environment, it will not be possible to strengthen the local economy. Ensuring environmental protection alongside industrial development will be the true key to sustainable growth.”
Special Guest Rukhen Uddin Ahmed, Senior Advisor, PRABRIDDHI, presented the Bangladeshi LED model and shared experiences from different municipalities. He noted, “The Bangladeshi LED model has demonstrated to local governments that effective public-private partnership, backed by the right strategies, can bring significant transformation in local economic development.”
The activities of the PRABRIDDHI project in Bogura Municipality were presented by Municipal Executive Officer Shahjahan Alam. In addition, Razedur Rahman Razu, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Agricultural Machinery Merchants Association (BAMMA), delivered a speech highlighting PROGRESS’s role in developing the light engineering sector.
As part of the campaign, a day-long Local Products and Trade Fair and competitions for students were organized. Alongside women entrepreneurs, enterprises such as Spirited BD, iFarmer, and MIT Park actively participated in the fair. More than one thousand local residents attended the event, where entrepreneurs showcased their products and services while interacting directly with customers.
Citizens also availed themselves of various municipal services—such as trade licenses, holding tax payments, and other civic services—directly from the municipal booth through the ‘One-Stop Service Center’. Additionally, students from schools and colleges gained knowledge on entrepreneurship and local economic development. The day-long event concluded with cultural performances by local groups, which made the program more vibrant and engaging for the participants.
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