Smart Governance and Sustainable Growth for the Citizens of Comilla:
Professor Dr. AZM Obaidullah, Vice Principal, Government Teachers’ Training College, Feni
Innovating Urban Services, Empowering Communities, and Building a Future-Ready City
In a time where cities are growing rapidly and facing unprecedented challenges, the need for smart governance and sustainable urban growth has never been more critical. Cities are no longer defined merely by their physical infrastructure—they are measured by how effectively they serve their citizens, manage resources, and adapt to change.
For Comilla, one of Bangladesh’s oldest and most historically significant cities, this transformation is underway. Through the efforts of the Comilla City Corporation (CuCC), the city is evolving from a traditionally administered municipality into a dynamic, digital, inclusive, and eco-conscious urban center.
This article explores how smart governance and sustainability are shaping the future of Comilla—delivering services more efficiently, empowering communities, and laying the foundation for a livable, resilient, and citizen-focused city.
Understanding Smart Governance
What Is Smart Governance?
Smart governance refers to the use of technology, data, transparency, and citizen engagement to improve public service delivery and decision-making. It’s not just about using digital tools—it’s about:
- Making governance more responsive and accountable
- Ensuring data-informed planning
- Creating interactive platforms for citizen feedback
- Breaking bureaucratic silos to deliver seamless services
In the context of Comilla, smart governance is being implemented to simplify civic interactions, modernize systems, and make governance accessible to every citizen—regardless of class, gender, or education level.
CuCC’s Smart Governance Initiatives
Comilla City Corporation has embraced several smart city components over the past decade. These initiatives are transforming how the city is governed:
- Online Public Services Portal
Citizens can now:
- Apply for trade licenses
- Pay holding taxes and utility bills
- Register births and deaths
- Track service requests and complaints
This digitization reduces paperwork, limits corruption, and cuts processing time—bringing government closer to the people.
- Smart Waste Management
- Use of GPS-enabled garbage trucks
- Door-to-door waste collection monitored through a mobile dashboard
- Community participation in waste sorting and recycling
This system ensures accountability, minimizes littering, and helps maintain hygiene—especially in high-density wards.
- GIS-Based Urban Planning
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to:
- Map roads, drains, and utility lines
- Identify infrastructure gaps
- Manage land use efficiently
This has improved planning accuracy, disaster preparedness, and urban zoning enforcement.
- Digital Citizen Feedback Platforms
- Mobile apps for lodging complaints
- SMS-based polling during policy decisions
- Social media listening units to respond to citizen concerns in real-time
This has given Comilla’s citizens a stronger voice and ensured that governance remains citizen-centric.
Sustainable Growth: What It Means for Comilla
Sustainable urban growth focuses on long-term prosperity without compromising environmental health, resource efficiency, or social equity. For Comilla, this means:
- Protecting green spaces and waterways
- Promoting public transport and non-motorized travel
- Ensuring equitable access to basic services
- Planning for climate resilience
Comilla’s growth strategy combines environmental stewardship, economic development, and social inclusivity—guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the national urban policy.
Comilla’s Key Areas of Sustainable Development
- Environmentally Responsible Infrastructure
- Roads built with eco-friendly materials
- Drainage lines reinforced to withstand climate shocks
- Solar-powered streetlights in 60% of wards
- Tree plantation drives and park restoration projects
These initiatives reduce carbon emissions, mitigate urban heat, and enhance livability.
- Water Conservation and Drainage
- Restoration of canals and natural water flow lines to combat urban flooding
- Community sensitization against plastic dumping in drains
- Plans for rainwater harvesting in public buildings
Water-sensitive urban design is being prioritized to manage stormwater sustainably.
- Renewable Energy Promotion
- Rooftop solar panels on government buildings
- Public lighting converted to LED and solar
- Citizen awareness on energy efficiency
These efforts reduce dependence on the national grid and promote cleaner energy alternatives.
- Affordable and Inclusive Urban Services
- Sanitary latrines and clean water access in underserved areas
- Women-friendly public transport zones
- Disability-accessible ramps in markets, clinics, and parks
- Mobile health camps in low-income neighborhoods
This ensures that no one is left behind in the development process.
Empowering the Community: Citizen-Led Development
A major strength of Comilla’s transformation lies in its people-driven development model. The city’s administrators actively engage with local communities to co-create solutions.
- Ward-Level Consultations
Residents participate in setting priorities for:
- Road repairs
- Streetlight installation
- School maintenance
- Cleanliness drives
These interactions foster trust and local ownership of urban projects.
- Youth Engagement Programs
- Civic clubs in schools and colleges
- Internship opportunities in digital governance and urban planning
- City-wide innovation challenges for students
By tapping into the energy of the youth, CuCC is creating a future-ready civic ecosystem.
- Public Health Collaborations
- Joint health drives with NGOs and hospitals
- Awareness campaigns on dengue, nutrition, maternal health
- Free medical camps and mobile clinics
These efforts make preventive healthcare more accessible and community-centered.
The Role of Technology in Governance Reform
- E-Governance for Transparency
Digitized documents, public dashboards, and performance trackers have:
- Minimized corruption
- Ensured faster response times
- Made decision-making more transparent
For example, project budgets, contractor lists, and expenditure summaries are often published online.
- Smart Traffic and Surveillance
Pilot projects are exploring:
- CCTV-enabled traffic regulation
- Digital signal systems at intersections
- Real-time traffic alerts on citizen apps
These tools are crucial for maintaining order as the city expands.
- City Apps and Helplines
Residents can:
- Request sanitation services
- Report illegal construction
- Submit suggestions or complaints
These tools close the gap between citizens and the administration.
Challenges to Smart and Sustainable Urban Transformation
While Comilla has made significant progress, certain structural and operational challenges persist:
- Resource Limitations
- Insufficient own-source revenue (e.g., property taxes)
- Dependence on central government funding
- Need for diversified financing through PPPs and donor agencies
- Skill and Capacity Gaps
- Shortage of urban planners, IT experts, and engineers
- Limited training for field staff on smart tools
- Citizen Awareness and Digital Divide
- Not all citizens are digitally literate
- Older or low-income residents may not access online services easily
- Environmental Pressures
- Encroachment on green spaces and wetlands
- Air and water pollution from unregulated development
These issues require coordinated policy, investment, and innovation.
Future Outlook: Vision 2030 for Comilla
Comilla City Corporation is crafting a vision for the next decade that includes:
- Smart Urban Infrastructure
- Automated waste tracking
- IoT-based water and electricity meters
- Solar charging stations for public transport
- Inclusive Smart Neighborhoods
- Digital access centers in every ward
- Community gardens and green rooftops
- Youth and women’s innovation hubs
- Climate Resilient Development
- Green zoning laws
- Heat-resistant building guidelines
- Flood-resilient housing models
- Digital Governance Labs
- A permanent unit to test, develop, and deploy smart tools with citizen input
Lessons for Other Cities
Comilla’s model offers several takeaways for other city corporations in Bangladesh and beyond:
- Start with the citizen: All governance reforms must be rooted in people’s real needs.
- Think long-term: Sustainability requires planning beyond political terms.
- Invest in data: Informed decisions save time, money, and lives.
- Embrace inclusion: Smart cities are only smart if everyone can benefit.
- Innovate locally: Solutions don’t always need big budgets—just strong ideas.
The story of smart governance and sustainable growth in Comilla is not one of perfection, but of purpose. It is a city steadily transitioning from conventional administration to responsive, inclusive, and future-ready urban governance.
By investing in technology, prioritizing sustainability, and empowering its citizens, Comilla City Corporation is demonstrating that even mid-sized cities can lead the way in urban transformation.
In a rapidly urbanizing world, Comilla’s journey serves as a blueprint for others—a living example that smart, sustainable, and citizen-focused cities are not dreams of the future, but possibilities of the present.
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