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.

Principles:

1. Focus on the most critical issues of urbanisation;
2. Broad national participation & ownership with active government leadership; and
3. Partnership with key actors to ensure success