Raise awareness about rights among poor

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed yesterday urged the country's non-government legal service providers to make marginalised and underprivileged people aware about their rights to help ensure justice.
"Let the people know about their rights because many of them are ignorant about it," he said adding, "Educating them about their rights is very important."
The minister was addressing, as chief guest, a lunching ceremony of a programme titled "Community Legal Services" at British Council in the capital.
Maxwell Stamp PLC, British Council and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution will implement the five-year long programme, funded by the UK government.
Under the project, the country's about 10 million poor, marginalized and socially excluded people will get a variety of legal services.
Shafique Ahmed also emphasised sensitising the people about punishing anybody, especially women, by issuing fatwa (religious edict).
"Punishment by fatwa has been declared illegal. Let the people know that nobody is authorised to punish anybody by issuing fatwa in Bangladesh," he said.
Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, judge of Appellate Division of the Supreme Court; Dr Hameeda Hossain, chairperson of Ain o Salish Kendra; and Sarah Cooke, country representative of DFID in Bangladesh, among others, spoke on the occasion.