In the local governance structure of Bangladesh, the Union Parishad (UP) represents the most basic and lowest level, which, by its very nature, is run by a body of elected representatives. By way of representation, Union Parishads are meant to truly reflect local needs through the participation of the community people. In essence, it mandates local people’s consent, often manifested by meaningful roles of standing committees in taking actions such as local-level planning, identifying local needs, and monitoring development projects. This organization possesses the ability to engage citizens in various committees and operations. In the context of regional governance in Bangladesh, the extent of citizen involvement can be effectively measured by their participation. This participation is crucial for upholding democratic processes, making effective decisions, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For effective planning and sustainable development in rural areas, a strong UP with the active role of a standing committee is mandatory. This study seeks a qualitative design to gain a deep, contextual understanding of citizens’ behaviors, attitudes, and experiences at the grassroots level in Bangladesh. This study is about a fresh look at citizens’ participation in UP standing committees to ensure effective planning and sustainable development. The study's objective is to examine the community participation in the administrative functions of two Union Parishads. This study is expected to uncover findings of democratic processes at the grassroots level and identify potential areas for improvement to enhance citizen engagement. Understanding the citizens’ involvement in local governance and assessing the effectiveness of the current mechanism for citizen participation are the two motivational aspects of undertaking the study.