BUF Evaluation forms (example attached) were handed out to participants in the final programme sessions of Day 2 of the First Session – Youth in Urban Future, Urban Upgrading, CSOs Roundtable and Planning and Research.  Some 308 completed forms were collected at the conclusion of these sessions.  The overwhelming majority of the forms were completed in Bangla.  The results of the evaluation are as follows:

1)    How would you rate the First Session of the Bangladesh Urban Forum in terms of its objective of providing a space for mutual exchange of ideas, best practices and policy discussion on urbanization and urban development?

a.    128 (41 per cent) responded ‘Excellent’
b.    163 (52 per cent) responded ‘Good’
c.    22 (7 per cent) responded ‘Average’
d.    0 (0 per cent) responded ‘Poor’

Therefore, 93 per cent of participants found the event either excellent or good in achieving its overall objective

2)    How would you rate the First Session of the BUF in terms of the presentation and quality of and discussion in the programme sessions?

a.    95 (31 per cent) responded ‘Excellent’
b.    173 (56 per cent) responded ‘Good’
c.    40 (13 per cent) responded ‘Average’
d.    0 (0 per cent) responded ‘Poor’

Therefore, 87 per cent of participants found the event either excellent or good in terms of presentation and quality of discussion in the programme sessions

3)    How would you rate the First Session of the BUF in terms of organization?

a.    90 (29 per cent) responded ‘Excellent’
b.    139 (45 per cent) responded ‘Good’
c.    64 (21 per cent) responded ‘Average’
d.    15 (5 per cent) responded ‘Poor’

Therefore, despite the challenges we faced in the registration and distribution of food, 74 per cent of participants found the event either excellent or good in terms of organization.

Urban sub-sectors to cover in future BUF events and general comments:

The evaluation form also gave participants an opportunity to indicate which aspects of urban development in Bangladesh they would like to see concentrated on in 2012 and in the Second Session of the BUF and to provide other comments.  A summary of the stronger comments is below:

• The First Session was a timely and appropriate initiative for the greater interests of Bangladesh but it should not be left here.  Rather it should be owned and promoted further to make Government work as necessary for equitable urban development and improved urban governance.
• The BUF should adopt a more participatory process in organizing and implementing events and activities. Mayors, community people, CSOs should be given more stakes in the BUF to help make urban governance self-sufficient, service oriented and accountable.
• The BUF process should be further strengthened and it should hold similar sessions outside Dhaka and preferably in every district. The next BUF session should be held in Chittagong and the campaign/preparation for this should be started well ahead of time.
• Every Mayor should make presentation on the status of their respective town/city and future development plans in the district-level BUF sessions.
• Every discussion that has taken place should be followed by action plan accordingly and subsequent evaluation report should be presented in the next BUF session.
• The presentations should be only in Bangla to ensure a larger number of participants understand proceedings. In necessary cases translation can be done to English. The presentations should include more videos, slide shows, posters etc. for better communication to the participants.
• The Government policies related to urban issues should be evaluated in future BUF sessions to see whether those policies are effective in making cities and towns work for all.

Preparations for the next session should start much earlier and there should be much more of media coverage to let people know and participate. Wider participation from slum dwellers, students and Mayors would add to the effectiveness of BUF and help sustain the process.