Staff Reporter :
Speakers at the roundtable emphasized that village courts are playing an important role in providing affordable legal assistance at the grassroots level.
They stressed the importance of strengthening village courts as an inclusive justice platform for women and marginalized communities, helping them to avoid lengthy legal complications and ensuring access to justice.
On Sunday, they made these remarks at a national roundtable discussion titled “The Importance of Gender-Sensitive and Inclusive Village Court Services for Rural Women and Marginalized Communities.”
The event was organized under the Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh – Phase III project, implemented by the Local Government Division in partnership with UNDP and the European Union.
The chief guest at the event was Momtaz Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
Special guests included Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Secretary of the Local Government Division; Tanvir Mahmud, Senior Governance Specialist of UNDP; along with senior officials from different ministries, representatives of development organizations, academia, and the media.
The session was moderated by Suraiya Akter Jahan, Additional Secretary of the Local Government Division and National Project Director of the project. Anwarul Haque, Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP, was also present as a special guest.
In his welcome speech, Md. Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Secretary of the Local Government Division, said that to make village courts strong and effective, it is essential to ensure the inclusion of women.
He noted that the media, local government, and all ministries must work in coordination to guarantee impartial and timely justice for women at the grassroots level.
He also highlighted that village courts are already serving as an effective alternative to the lengthy procedures and high costs of higher courts, but more promotion, training, and social awareness are required.
With the existing local government institutions across the country, it is possible to raise awareness about village courts among marginalized communities.
Other speakers included Shahana Sarmin, Executive Director of the National Women’s Organization; Hazera Khatun, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare; Dr. Prokash Kanti Chowdhury, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs; Mir Mashroor, Chief News Editor of Channel i; Tanvir Mahmud, Senior Governance Specialist of UNDP; Sharmin Islam, Gender Lead; and Md. Abdul Qaiyum, Head of Communication, along with many others.
Presenting the keynote paper, Shamima Akter Shammi, Gender Analyst of the project, provided an overview of the current state of village courts in Bangladesh, identifying existing challenges and possible remedies.
She pointed out that due to structural and social barriers, women and marginalized people in rural areas are often deprived of justice.
Major challenges include lack of awareness about legal rights, limited access to information, complex procedures, transportation difficulties, and social and family restrictions.
