BSS, Rajshahi :
Speakers at a participatory iscussion here on Tuesday underscored the need for concerned efforts of all government and non-government organizations to provide greater access to justice to the poor, marginalized and socially excluded litigants.
They viewed infusing dynamism into the legal aid services could be an effective means of attaining the cherished goal. Only the judiciary or any other single organisation is not capable of ensuring legal aid to the underprivileged people but a comprehensive effort is essential in this regard.
The observations came at a coordination meeting with district legal aid committee (DLAC) on how to ensure legal support to the merginalyzed community held at Judges Conference hall in the city on Monday afternoon.
Brotee Somaj Kolyan Sangstha (BSKS) under its project titled ‘Protecting the Vulnerable through Community Legal Services’ organised the meeting in association with Community Legal Services and UKaid.
With Kabita Khanom, Senior District and Session Judge and Chairman of DLAC, in the chair, Judge of Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal-2 KM Shahid Ahmed, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Zulfikar Ullah, Chief Judicial Magistrate Md Asifuzzaman, District Legal Aid Officer Nuruzzaman Sarker, President of Advocate Bar Association Nazmus Saadat and BSKS Training and Communication Coordinator Razendra Kumar Das, among others, addressed the meeting.
During his concept paper presentation, Ashique Iqbal, Regional Coordinator and Legal Advocacy Officer of BSKS, gave an overview of his organization’s legal aid services.
Vigorous advocacy about cost free legal services stressed DLAC Chairman Kabita Khanom says there should be watchdogs to protect the vulnerable community stressing the need for taking up adequate measures to advocate vigorously the existing system of cost-free legal aid services among poor and distressed population to ensure justice for the underprivileged.
She pointed out that various development organisations at present are implementing need-based projects in order to provide legal aid services to the poor and distressed litigants including the ethnic minorities free of cost apart from the government services.
Voluntary organization had been developed for providing legal service as it was an effective way for large-scale promotion of alternative dispute resolution for the poor and vulnerable. Learned Judge Kabita Khanom also came out with number of recommendations that may be helpful to establish a congenial management system for use of common resources.
