Village courts disposed of 78pc cases in two years

About 78 percent of the cases lodged with village courts of 27 districts were disposed of in last two years, officials said yesterday.

Discussants also said marginalised groups in Bangladesh are getting justice from village courts within a short time and low cost, which is ensuring their access to justice.

Sarder M Asaduzzaman, national project coordinator of UNDP’s Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh, said 1,33,664 cases were lodged with village courts at 1,080 union parishads between  July 2017 and August 2019.

“Of them, 78 percent cases were resolved within the same period of time,” he said while making a presentation at a consultation meeting on role  of media to raise mass awareness on village courts, organised by  the project and Local Government Division.

He also said village courts are giving their decisions in six  weeks, and 94 percent of the decisions were implemented. A total  of Tk 104.37 crore were realised as compensation in line with courts’ decisions. 

Some 29 percent of justice seekers were women, he added. “Police, UNO  and NGOs say prevalence of crime is low in the areas where village  courts are functional,” he said.

Local Government Division Minister Tazul Islam said village  courts are reducing pressure on the formal judicial system.

Local Government Division Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said functional village courts reduce pressure on police stations and number of false cases, he added.

Rensje Teerink, ambassador of the European Union to Bangladesh, said access to justice is a basic human right, and it contributes to democratic governance.

Sudipto Mukherjee, Bangladesh resident representative of UNDP; and Roxana Quader, national project director of  the project’s second phase, also spoke at the programme.

The Village Courts Act of 2006 provides for establishment of a court at  every union parishad.

These have jurisdiction over civil disputes valued up to Tk 75,000 as well as some crimes -- including assault  and theft, although they do not have the power to fine or imprison someone. Rather, they can grant simple injunctions and award compensation up to Tk  75,000.