• What is the BUF?

The BUF is conceived of as a broad-based stakeholder platform for dialogue and action to address urban issues. BUF is both a process and event to be institutionalised. This approach will ensure that the dialogue and action—rooted in a broad-based social consensus on the challenges arising from and possible responses to urbanization and urban poverty—will be sustained over the longer-term.  Similar to urban forums in a number of other countries, the BUF can promote this by offering urban sector stakeholders a space for mutual exchange of ideas, best practices and policy discussion on urbanization and urban development.

• BUF Objectives

• > To promote experience and knowledge-sharing among urban sector stakeholders so as to contribute to the formulation and implementation of policies on, and improving practice in, urban sector management, primarily to reduce urban poverty.
• > To create a common understanding on policy and institutional capacity development issues for GoB and the (urban) public sector as a whole, for international and national partners in development, and urban communities;

• > To raise public awareness about the growing importance of the urban sector and urbanisation in Bangladesh and the need for improved policies, plans, and actions;
• > To bring together all stakeholders in the urban sector: central and local government officials and politicians; NGOs and CBOs; community leaders; academics and the private sector.