Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam has been appointed as a member of the United Nations Advisory Committee of Local Authorities (UNACLA).
A letter signed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed Mayor Atiqul Islam's nomination last Monday.
After receiving consent, the DNCC mayor was formally inducted as a member, according to a press release on Friday.
The UN secretary-general noted in his letter that this advisory committee plays a vital role in enhancing the involvement of local and regional governments in inter-governmental and national planning.
“The committee will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aid in shaping modern cities at the local and regional levels,” the letter reads.
The letter said: “This committee will advise on local and regional government engagement and performance issues, enhance coordination and cooperation, and contribute to reforming issues necessary to achieve our global goals.”
“The members of this committee will highlight the necessary areas of priority at the national level and suggest the roles that local and regional governments should play in achieving national and global goals,” it added.
The advisory committee comprises 15 members in total. DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam and Philippines’ Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay were selected from the Asia-Pacific region.
The other members include three from Europe, three from Africa, two from North America, three from Latin America and the Caribbean, and two from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena).