Dhaka: Gram Adalat (village court) can play an important role in resolving disputes at the local level alongside empowering women and marginalized communities. Information Secretary Mahbuba Farzana emphasized this potential while addressing a consultative meeting on the Village Court Activation Project (3rd phase) at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) and Local Government Division (LGD) jointly organized the meeting at the LGD office. Mahbuba Farzana described the third phase of activities initiated by the LGD to establish Gram Adalat as a crucial initiative, pledging her ministry’s full support to ensure its success.
Presided over by LGD Secretary Md. Rezaul Maksud Zahedi, the meeting included participation from additional secretaries of MoIB Kausar Ahmed, Dr. Mohammad Altaf-ul-Alam, Principal Information Officer (PIO) Nizamul Kabir, Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Mahbub Morshed, and Director General of Bangladesh Television (BTV) Mahbubul Alam.
The LGD secretary reiterated that the government’s primary role is to serve the people, with the UNDP significantly aiding in strengthening governance through this project. He highlighted that the initiative is a collaborative effort involving various ministries, aiming for successful implementation based on mutual cooperation.
The project, supported by the Government of Bangladesh, European Union, and UNDP, strives to enhance access to justice for rural populations, particularly women, small ethnic groups, and the poor. Gram Adalat has been noted for its effectiveness in implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing quick, affordable justice and alleviating the backlog of cases in formal courts.
Meeting discussions revealed that from February 2024 to June this year, village courts handled 115,367 cases, with women accounting for 30,873 applicants. Women’s participation in the trial process stands at 15%, with a case settlement rate of 75.41% and a decision implementation rate of 89.51%. Compensation worth approximately Tk 127.47 crore has been secured, and over 10 lakh people have been educated through the village courts.
The project spans the entire country except for three hill districts, with the Bangladesh government covering one-third of the total costs. Numerous governmental and non-governmental entities, including the MoIB, contribute to the swift and efficient service delivery of these courts to rural inhabitants.
Officials highlighted plans to seek further support from the Directorate of Mass Communication, Press Information Department, Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), National Institute of Mass Communication, Press Institute Bangladesh, and community radios to bolster the project’s success. An awareness campaign involving district and upazila-level information officers is also planned to popularize the village courts.
A coordinated effort is underway to raise awareness about village courts among rural populations, especially small ethnic groups, minorities, women, the poor, and marginalized communities. The campaign will also leverage government web portals and social media platforms to reinforce its reach and impact.