CivicConnect is a youth-led civic engagement initiative designed to strengthen the connection between citizens and local government in Mymensingh City through both digital and in-person participation. Implemented by SERAC-Bangladesh with support from Accountability Lab under the Digital Democracy Initiative, the project responds to the growing demand for meaningful youth participation in governance beyond elections.

Bangladesh’s young people have increasingly demonstrated strong civic and political awareness, yet many still face barriers in communicating their concerns, ideas, and expectations to public institutions. CivicConnect addresses this gap by creating a safe, accessible, and inclusive platform where youth and communities can engage directly with decision-makers, raise urban issues, and advocate for local solutions.

The initiative is anchored through the Mymensingh Urban Youth Council, leveraging its existing institutional relationship with the City Corporation to facilitate citizen–state dialogue. Through community consultations, open house meetings, digital campaigns, and civic summits, the platform enables young people to identify priority issues, co-create solutions, and monitor institutional responses.

The project focuses on key urban challenges including climate resilience, waste management, infrastructure, public services, public safety, and social justice. A dedicated digital outreach strategy allows wider public participation through issue-based campaigns and online submissions, helping amplify citizen voices in both Bangla and English.

CivicConnect also strengthens youth capacity in civic education, evidence-based advocacy, and stakeholder engagement, equipping a new generation of changemakers with the knowledge and tools to influence policy and local governance processes.

By institutionalizing this model, the project aims to build a sustainable and replicable framework for participatory governance—one that promotes transparency, accountability, and inclusive urban decision-making while ensuring youth and marginalized communities are recognized as active contributors to democratic change.