The N-heterocyclic ligand 2-[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-benzimidazole (imb) has a rich variety of coordination modes and can lead to polymers with intriguing structures and interesting properties. In the coordination polymercatena-poly[[cadmium(II)-bis[μ-benzene-1,2-dicarboxylato-κ4O1,O1′:O2,O2′]-cadmium(II)-bis{μ-2-[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-benzimidazole}-κ2N2:N3;κ2N3:N2] dimethylformamide disolvate], {[Cd(C8H4O4)(C11H10N4)]·C3H7NO}n, (I), each CdIIion exhibits an irregular octahedral CdO4N2coordination geometry and is coordinated by four O atoms from two symmetry-related benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate (1,2-bdic2−) ligands and two N atoms from two symmetry-related imb ligands. Two CdIIions are connected by two benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate ligands to generate a binuclear [Cd2(1,2-bdic)2] unit. The binuclear units are further connected into a one-dimensional chain by pairs of bridging imb ligands. These one-dimensional chains are further connected through N—H...O hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions, leading to a two-dimensional layered structure. The dimethylformamide solvent molecules are organized in dimeric pairsviaweak interactions. In addition, the title polymer exhibits good fluorescence properties in the solid state at room temperature.