Stakeholders Discuss Last-Mile Access Challenges at MantaConnect Project Event in Dhaka

Dhaka: A stakeholder event titled “Solving the Last-Mile Access Challenge Together: Lessons from the MantaConnect Project” was held at Six Seasons Hotel, Dhaka, bringing together senior government officials, development professionals and other stakeholders to discuss inclusive and accessible service delivery for hard-to-reach communities in Bangladesh.

The programme was attended as a Special Guest by Dr. Md. Faridul Islam, Former Secretary, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and President of the Bangladesh Private Sector Skills Development Foundation (BPSSD Foundation).

Among the distinguished participants were Ms. Sarah L. Taylor, Team Leader, The Asia Foundation; Mst. Farida Sultana, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Barishal Sadar Upazila; Ahmadul Haque, Additional Secretary, Administration Division of Offices and Agencies, Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment; and Newaz Hossain Chowdhury, Joint Secretary (Admin), Medical Education & Family Welfare Division.

The event focused on lessons from the MantaConnect Project and explored practical ways to address the challenges faced by communities living in geographically isolated and underserved areas, particularly the Manta fisherfolk community in Barishal.

Discussions highlighted the importance of improving access to healthcare, education, financial services, social protection, government services and digital connectivity for communities that often face significant barriers in accessing mainstream service-delivery systems.

The programme also emphasized the role of technology, community participation and multi-stakeholder collaboration in solving last-mile access challenges. Participants exchanged views on how government institutions, development organisations, local administration, financial institutions, technology partners and community representatives can work together to develop sustainable and inclusive solutions.

The MantaConnect initiative, supported by The Asia Foundation and involving YouthNet Global, has focused on strengthening inclusion and resilience among the Manta community through community-centred and technology-enabled approaches.

The event provided an important platform for stakeholders to share experiences, discuss lessons learned and explore opportunities for scaling effective approaches to other underserved communities across Bangladesh.

Speaking from the perspective of public administration and development, Dr. Md. Faridul Islam emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts among government, development partners and community-level stakeholders to ensure that development services reach people at the last mile.

The discussions also highlighted that sustainable solutions require more than infrastructure or technology alone. Community engagement, institutional coordination, awareness, capacity building and responsive public services are equally important in ensuring meaningful and long-term inclusion.

The event at Six Seasons Hotel, Dhaka, concluded with a shared emphasis on continued collaboration, knowledge exchange and practical initiatives to reduce last-mile access barriers and ensure that vulnerable and underserved communities can participate more fully in Bangladesh’s development journey.