Ensuring access to justice for all
Project on village courts launched in CHT
European Union (EU) Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink yesterday underscored the importance of village courts for the marginalised groups in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to ensure their access to justice in quick and affordable manner.
She said the EU is always committed to strengthen social justice in Bangladesh so that the vulnerable community especially women in rural areas can have access to justice and possibility to find a solution to their disputes and conflicts at community level.
The EU ambassador made the remarks while addressing the launching ceremony of a project titled “Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh (AVCB) Phase-2” in Rangamati. The project aims to improve access to justice for disadvantaged and marginalised groups in the CHT.
Local Government Division (LGD) with support from EU and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiated the project. Following implementation of phase-1 from 2006-2015, phase-2 of the AVCB project started in 2016 in 1,080 unions, under a tri-partnership with EU, UNDP and the government.
The project is now further scaled up with an additional funding of 4.5 million euros from EU to make the local authorities more responsive, said UNDP yesterday. It will also empower locals, especially women and the vulnerable. With the additional funding, the total EU contribution to the project (phase-2) stands at 28.3 million euros.
Mesbahul Islam, secretary to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, addressed yesterday’s event as chief guest.
He said the government is keen to bring public services to people’s doorsteps. “Village court is one such endeavour that can improve lives and ensure peace and harmony in rural areas like CHT.”
The secretary said this project will also strengthen the local government bodies in CHT, making them more responsive to local needs, and establish peaceful co-existence.
Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh Sudipto Mukerjee said without development there is no peace and without peace there is no justice.
“Access to justice for all therefore is a must to ensure human rights and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, leaving no one behind. Village courts are playing a vital role in ensuring access to justice to the poor in 1,080 unions of Bangladesh, and now also in CHT,” he said.
Sudipto opined that the project would further strengthen peace and security in the region.
Among others, Roxana Quader, national project director of AVCB-II and additional secretary to LGD; and Van Nguyen, deputy resident representative of UNDP Bangladesh, also spoke.
Earlier, Mohammad Tanvir Azam Siddique, deputy secretary, LGD; and Sarder Asaduzzaman, national project coordinator, AVCB-II, presented a keynote paper on strengthening traditional justice system in CHT.
The event was also attended by representatives of hill district councils and CHT Regional Council.