Legal aid is not a charity: chief justice
Urges judges and lawyers to be sincere in prompt disposal of cases
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain yesterday urged judges and lawyers to be sincere while carrying out trial proceedings of cases run at government cost, so that the lawsuits are disposed quickly.
He also called upon rights activists, non-government organisations and all relevant bodies in judiciary to come forward and ensure justice to underprivileged people in society.
Syed Mahmud Hossain made the call while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion on government legal aid services, jointly organised by the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee and Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), at the court auditorium in Dhaka.
“Seeking justice and legal support are fundamental rights,” he said. Legal aid is one of the core aspects of establishing rule of law and ensuring human rights, he added.
Saying that people’s access to justice is increasing gradually, he said legal aid from the government, which is free of cost, is not a charity; it is a basic right of people who are insolvent.
“Along with lawyers, I’m also requesting officials in the concerned administration to provide support to the underprivileged so that they can continue their lawsuits properly,” the chief justice added.
Speaking on the occasion, Law Minister Anisul Huq urged the persons involved in judiciary to provide legal services properly instead of harassing people.
MJF Executive Director Shaheen Anam said the government’s legal aid services can help the judiciary in reducing the ongoing case backlog, which hinders justice.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee Chairman Justice M Enayetur Rahim, National Legal Aid Services Organisation Director Aminul Islam, and Supreme Court Bar Association President AM Amin Uddin, among others, also spoke at the programme.