Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh marked its 10-year anniversary on 16 June 2026. To reflect on the journey and look ahead to the future of the network, Citizen’s Platform organised a residential colloquium on 7–8 August 2026 at BRAC CDM, Savar, Dhaka.

Core Group members, partner organisations, supporters and the Secretariat cam together on this occassstion to reflect on a decade of collective action, exchange perspectives and chart priorities for the Platform’s next chapter.

The colloquium opened with welcome remarks by Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Convener, Citizen’s Platform. The opening session set the tone for the discussions, as participants reflected on the Platform’s experience over the past decade and considered the priorities that could shape its future.

Looking Back: Ten Years of the Citizen’s Platform

What comes to mind when we think of the Citizen’s Platform? What stands out from its ten-year journey? And where could it have done better?

These questions set the stage for Session 1, as participants reflected on the network’s achievements, challenges and lessons learned.

Through a presentation, Tarannum Jinan, Network Focal, Citizen’s Platform and Deputy Director, Dialogue & Communication, CPD, revisited the Platform’s journey and key learnings. The reflection then became more interactive, with Avra Bhattacharjee, Additional Director, Dialogue, Communication and Outreach, CPD, engaging participants through a Mentimeter exercise to capture their collective perceptions of the Platform.

An open-floor discussion followed, bringing out a range of priorities for the Platform’s future. Participants highlighted the need for stronger grassroots engagement and localisation, greater attention to communities experiencing exclusion, improved availability and use of disaggregated data, and stronger follow-up to translate policy advocacy into tangible outcomes.

The discussion also emphasised the importance of making better use of the diverse capacities within the Platform’s membership, exploring sustainable financing options for the network, and considering how the Platform’s identity and role could evolve beyond the SDGs.

Looking Ahead: Strategising for the Future

Having reflected on the Platform’s first decade, participants turned their attention to the road ahead.

Chaired by Shaheen Anam, Core Group Member, Citizen’s Platform and Executive Director, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Session 2 brought participants into thematic group discussions on how the Platform could strengthen its role and contribution in a changing civic and policy environment.

The discussions focused on six thematic areas:

  • Expanding Partnerships Across Sectors: Exploring opportunities for stronger collaboration across sectors, including with the private sector.
  • The Last Lap of the SDGs and Beyond: Reflecting on the Platform’s thematic priorities as Bangladesh approaches the final phase of the SDGs and considers the agenda beyond 2030.
  • Sustainable Financing for CSOs: Exploring sustainable financing options for civil society organisations beyond micro-credit.
  • Strategic Engagement and Advocacy: Strengthening engagement and advocacy with public institutions and political actors.
  • Navigating the Evolving Civic and Policy Environment: Considering how CSOs can respond to the changing civic and policy landscape during Bangladesh’s democratic transition.
  • Strengthening CSO Governance and Institutional Effectiveness: Identifying ways to strengthen governance, organisational capacity and institutional effectiveness within CSOs.

The session concluded with a summary of the group discussions, highlighting key challenges, opportunities and practical considerations for the Platform’s future work.

Bangladesh Reform Tracker: An Advocacy Agenda for Strengthening Democratic Accountability

The second day of the colloquium turned to Bangladesh’s ongoing reform process, with Session 3 focusing on the Bangladesh Reform Tracker and its potential contribution to strengthening democratic accountability.

Chaired by Anisatul Fatema Yousuf, Coordinator, Citizen’s Platform, the session introduced participants to the Reform Tracker through a presentation and live overview of the website by Towfiqul Islam Khan, Additional Research Director, CPD.

The discussion explored how evidence-based tracking can support policy advocacy, public engagement and accountability. Participants also reflected on how collective engagement by civil society can contribute to monitoring the implementation of reforms and advancing a stronger accountability agenda.

Consolidating Priorities and Next Steps

The colloquium concluded with a closing session led by Professor Mustafizur Rahman, which brought together the priorities and recommendations emerging from the two days of discussion.

Participants identified unity, solidarity and shared values as some of the Platform’s key strengths, while emphasising the importance of strategic prioritisation, stronger cross-sector partnerships, institutional capacity, evidence-based advocacy, and meaningful engagement with public institutions and political actors.

Professor Rahman noted that the recommendations and key discussion points from the colloquium would be consolidated to inform the Platform’s future strategies and areas of work.

As the Citizen’s Platform enters its second decade, the colloquium provided an opportunity not only to celebrate how far the network has come, but also to ask what it should become next — carrying forward the shared values, relationships and collective commitment that have shaped its journey over the past ten years.