UNOPS Bangladesh convenes 15th SDG Café to spotlight the path to sustainable and inclusive cities under SDG 11
UNOPS Bangladesh convened the 15th edition of its flagship dialogue series, SDG Café, under the theme “Resilient Future through Sustainable Urban Development in Bangladesh”, bringing together policymakers, academics, civil society leaders, and international development partners.
Held on Tuesday, the event focused on advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11—to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable—at a time when Bangladesh is experiencing one of the fastest rates of urbanization in South Asia.
According to a press release, the session addressed the growing complexities of urban development amid escalating climate risks such as flooding, cyclones, and heatwaves. These hazards, combined with unplanned urban growth, inadequate infrastructure, and widening socio-economic inequalities, pose serious challenges to sustainable urbanization.
In his keynote presentation, Dr. Adil Mohammed Khan, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University and President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, highlighted structural shortcomings in the country’s urban systems. He stressed the urgent need for integrated planning, participatory governance, and climate-adaptive infrastructure to build sustainable and resilient cities.
The SDG Café adopted an interactive format, fostering lively exchanges on a range of topics, including affordable housing, slum upgrading, sustainable transport, inclusive green spaces, and innovative urban financing. The dialogue facilitated a cross-sectoral exchange of ideas and practical solutions aimed at addressing Bangladesh’s urban development challenges.
In his opening remarks, Sudhir Muralidharan, Country Manager of UNOPS Bangladesh and Bhutan, underscored the urgency of collaborative efforts.
“Urban resilience is not an abstract goal—it is a daily imperative for millions of Bangladeshis. At UNOPS, we believe partnerships, local leadership, and scalable innovation are key to reimagining our cities for the future. Today’s dialogue reaffirms our collective resolve to make SDG 11 a reality,” he said.
The session concluded with a forward-looking discussion on how multi-stakeholder collaboration can inform both national and local urban strategies. Participants pledged to accelerate the implementation of SDG 11 through continued knowledge sharing, partnership building, and context-specific policy actions.
By convening experts and practitioners around key development priorities, UNOPS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s journey toward a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban future.
