Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities

Islam, M., Karim, N., & Fernandez, L. (2025). Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities. Journal of Social Science DIU. https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041

Islam, Maliha, et al. “Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities.” Journal of Social Science DIU, 2025, https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041.

Islam, Maliha, Nabila Karim, and Lucia Fernandez. 2025. “Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities.” Journal of Social Science DIU. https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041.

Islam, Maliha, Nabila Karim, and Lucia Fernandez. “Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities.” Journal of Social Science DIU (2025). https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041.

Islam, M., Karim, N. and Fernandez, L. (2025) ‘Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities’, Journal of Social Science DIU. Available at: https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041 (Accessed: 4 November 2026).

M. Islam, N. Karim, and L. Fernandez, “Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities,” Journal of Social Science DIU, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041

Islam M, Karim N, Fernandez L. Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities. Journal of Social Science DIU [Internet]. 2025 Oct 19 [cited 2026 Nov 4]. Available from: https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041

@article{islam2025who,
  author = {Islam, Maliha and Karim, Nabila and Fernandez, Lucia},
  title = {{Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities}},
  journal = {Journal of Social Science DIU},
  year = {2025},
  month = {oct},
  publisher = {Dhaka International University},
  url = {https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041},
  keywords = {local government, public participation, agenda setting, municipal accountability, Bangladesh},
  abstract = {Public meetings can expand consultation while leaving substantial control over local priorities with established representatives. This article examines participation and agenda setting in ward meetings in two medium-sized Bangladeshi municipalities. The research combines observations of 24 meetings, a survey of 198 attendees, and interviews with 32 councillors, residents, and municipal staff. Speaking turns were coded by topic, gender, and whether an intervention received a recorded administrative response. Residents raised drainage and street-lighting problems frequently, but meeting chairs devoted more time to projects already listed in municipal plans. Women participated more often when neighbourhood associations submitted questions collectively before meetings. Attendance alone consequently overstated opportunities to influence spending priorities. Differences between municipalities suggest that advance circulation of agendas matters when accompanied by clear procedures for recording unanswered questions. The sample excludes residents who never attended, limiting conclusions about overall political inclusion. Municipal consultation could become more accountable through public response registers that connect residents' proposals to subsequent decisions and explanations of resource constraints.}
}

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Islam, Maliha
AU  - Karim, Nabila
AU  - Fernandez, Lucia
TI  - Who Speaks at Ward Meetings? Participation and Agenda Control in Two Bangladeshi Municipalities
JO  - Journal of Social Science DIU
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/10/19
PB  - Dhaka International University
UR  - https://jssdiu.org/articles/who-speaks-at-ward-meetings-participation-and-agenda-control-in-two-bangladeshi--f2c11041
KW  - local government
KW  - public participation
KW  - agenda setting
KW  - municipal accountability
KW  - Bangladesh
AB  - Public meetings can expand consultation while leaving substantial control over local priorities with established representatives. This article examines participation and agenda setting in ward meetings in two medium-sized Bangladeshi municipalities. The research combines observations of 24 meetings, a survey of 198 attendees, and interviews with 32 councillors, residents, and municipal staff. Speaking turns were coded by topic, gender, and whether an intervention received a recorded administrative response. Residents raised drainage and street-lighting problems frequently, but meeting chairs devoted more time to projects already listed in municipal plans. Women participated more often when neighbourhood associations submitted questions collectively before meetings. Attendance alone consequently overstated opportunities to influence spending priorities. Differences between municipalities suggest that advance circulation of agendas matters when accompanied by clear procedures for recording unanswered questions. The sample excludes residents who never attended, limiting conclusions about overall political inclusion. Municipal consultation could become more accountable through public response registers that connect residents' proposals to subsequent decisions and explanations of resource constraints.
ER  -