The effect of citizen charter on public service delivery quality: Evidence from urban local government (A study on Sylhet city corporation)

The City Corporation is an urban local government that provides basic amenities to people in urban areas. To improve service delivery, the Citizen Charter (CC) has been formulated to make it more responsive, transparent, accountable, and effective. The study has been conducted with a view to assessing the effectiveness of the charter in Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), as a part of the urban local government in Bangladesh, using a mixed (both quantitative and qualitative) research method. The study found that the CC could not yield the expected results in easing the service delivery process due to its absence on SCC premises. Ignorance among the people about the existence and content of the CC has also surfaced. Access to officials increases with age, while occupations, except businesses and service holders, get higher access. With the increase in age and education of respondents, service delivery has been significantly effective. However, CC is facing challenges in meeting its objectives due to some hindrances. Policy requirements and necessary actions are needed to make the CC effective in SCC, such as introducing it at the SCC’s premises, informing and creating awareness, and coordinating efforts from central to local.