Gulam Rabbani :
The poor are not getting legal aid properly from the ‘National Legal Aid Services Organization’ under the existing law.
Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee (SCLAC) have already discussed about the limitation of the legal aid law in a recent meeting.
They have also sent a letter to the National Legal Aid Services Organization to bring some amendments to the law in this regard.
Those people who earn Tk One and a half lakh or less annually can get legal assistance from the Suprme Court Legal Aid Office. This limit is one lakh at district level courts.
Children, ethnic minorities, phisically disabled, victims of trafficking, widows and old age allowance receivers are also considered for this aid.
Supreme Court Legal Aid Office gives aid to the poor for criminal appeal and revision, civil appeal and revision, jail appeal, writ petition and leave to appeal. But there is no opportunity to get legal aid for bail petition. That is why the poor are failing to
seek bail in the Supreme Court (SC) who have been in jail for a long time without trial.
Many people have been harassed in false cases. But they are not getting any aid from the Legal Aid Office to file a application in the SC seeking cancellation of the case.
Even the Legal Aid Office does not help file an application to stay any case in the lower court filed with an false allegation. In addition, there is no scope in the Legal Aid Law to file an application in the High Court against lower court verdict.
Sources said that most people face the bail related problems in the courts. Many people cannot get bail for financial crisis though they have been in jail for a long time without any trial in false cases. So the officials have demanded reforms of the Legal Aid Law.
Recently the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee in a meeting discussed about the limitation of the Legal Aid Law. Later, they also sent a letter to the National Legal Aid Services Organization to bring some amendments in this regard.
They also suggested that income level of aid receivers should be income tax level or less than that from Tk One and a half lakh. The committee also requested the National Legal Aid Services Organization to reconsider the fees of the panel lawyers of the High Court and the Appellate Division and the Advocates on record of the Appellate Division.
Coordinator of the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office Ripon Paul Sku admitted, the Law has some limitations. That is why they couldn’t help the poor in some cases.
He said that the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office is unable to give help to anyone to seek bail in the High Court if the bail petition is rejected in the lower court. Even they are unable to provide any assistance in case of anticipatory bail.
Sources said that the Legal Aid Offices have been established in 64 districts of the country to give legal aid to the poor and the helpless people. ‘Manusher Janno Foundation’, a private organization, is working as a associate organization for legal aid. Subsequently Supreme Court Legal Aid Office is giving legal assistance in the Supreme Court to the poor.
The poor are not getting legal aid properly from the ‘National Legal Aid Services Organization’ under the existing law.
Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee (SCLAC) have already discussed about the limitation of the legal aid law in a recent meeting.
They have also sent a letter to the National Legal Aid Services Organization to bring some amendments to the law in this regard.
Those people who earn Tk One and a half lakh or less annually can get legal assistance from the Suprme Court Legal Aid Office. This limit is one lakh at district level courts.
Children, ethnic minorities, phisically disabled, victims of trafficking, widows and old age allowance receivers are also considered for this aid.
Supreme Court Legal Aid Office gives aid to the poor for criminal appeal and revision, civil appeal and revision, jail appeal, writ petition and leave to appeal. But there is no opportunity to get legal aid for bail petition. That is why the poor are failing to
seek bail in the Supreme Court (SC) who have been in jail for a long time without trial.
Many people have been harassed in false cases. But they are not getting any aid from the Legal Aid Office to file a application in the SC seeking cancellation of the case.
Even the Legal Aid Office does not help file an application to stay any case in the lower court filed with an false allegation. In addition, there is no scope in the Legal Aid Law to file an application in the High Court against lower court verdict.
Sources said that most people face the bail related problems in the courts. Many people cannot get bail for financial crisis though they have been in jail for a long time without any trial in false cases. So the officials have demanded reforms of the Legal Aid Law.
Recently the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee in a meeting discussed about the limitation of the Legal Aid Law. Later, they also sent a letter to the National Legal Aid Services Organization to bring some amendments in this regard.
They also suggested that income level of aid receivers should be income tax level or less than that from Tk One and a half lakh. The committee also requested the National Legal Aid Services Organization to reconsider the fees of the panel lawyers of the High Court and the Appellate Division and the Advocates on record of the Appellate Division.
Coordinator of the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office Ripon Paul Sku admitted, the Law has some limitations. That is why they couldn’t help the poor in some cases.
He said that the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office is unable to give help to anyone to seek bail in the High Court if the bail petition is rejected in the lower court. Even they are unable to provide any assistance in case of anticipatory bail.
Sources said that the Legal Aid Offices have been established in 64 districts of the country to give legal aid to the poor and the helpless people. ‘Manusher Janno Foundation’, a private organization, is working as a associate organization for legal aid. Subsequently Supreme Court Legal Aid Office is giving legal assistance in the Supreme Court to the poor.
