DemocracyWatch, a non-government organisation, has organised the festival in association with the United State Agency for International Development (USAID).

LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan will inaugurate the festival at the Engineers' Institute at 10:00am.

Elected representatives of the local government, members of civil society and representatives of local and international organisations will attend various events of the festival such as seminar, discussion, exhibition, debate, drama and cultural function.

Nineteen local and international organisations, including World Bank, Transparency International Bangladesh, Centre for Sustainable Development, The Hunger Project, NDI, ARD, Care Bangladesh, Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum, Khan Foundation, Brac, TMSS, Australian High Commission and European Union, will take part in the festival.

"The system of our local government is very weak. We hope that the festival will help identify the faults in the local government and find out solutions to the problems," said Taleya Rehman, executive director of DemocracyWatch at a press conference yesterday.

She also said a strong local government is a must for development of the country.