The third phase of the “Bangladesh Village Court Strengthening Project” has officially begun to make village courts more effective and people-friendly, ensuring quick, accessible, and low-cost justice for rural communities.
The project is being implemented with the support of the Local Government Division, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the European Union, and field-level activities have already started.
At a roundtable meeting held at a hotel in Dhaka on Sunday, speakers held a discussion titled “The Importance of Promoting Gender-Sensitive and Inclusive Village Court Services for Rural Women and Marginalized Communities.”
They noted that in rural areas, women and marginalized groups are often deprived of justice due to social barriers, lack of awareness, and limited facilities. Many women hesitate to approach village courts, even to claim their rights.
Under the project, efforts to raise legal awareness, ensure active participation of women union parishad members, and expand leadership opportunities for women and marginalized communities through regular training and information sharing have strengthened trust in justice among rural people.
According to data shared at the meeting, nearly 126,000 cases have been filed in village courts up to last year. Of these, more than 33,000 cases were filed by women applicants—a clear sign of improved participation. The number of appeals to higher courts has remained low, reflecting increased confidence in the village court system.
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Senior Secretary Mamtaz Ahmed attended the event as the chief guest. Local Government Division Secretary Md Rezaul Maksud Zahedi delivered the opening remarks, urging the media to promote the services of the third phase so that communities across the country become aware of them.
“Journalists can play the most vital role at the grassroots level,” he said, adding that the project, launched in 2009, will continue until 2027 and will be more dynamic with greater inclusion of women in every court.
National Project Coordinator of the Bangladesh Village Court Strengthening Project Bibash Chakraborty explained that the initiative’s goal is to ensure justice for women and marginalized groups in rural areas.
He highlighted that 78% of cases filed in village courts have been resolved, with each case settled on average within 18 days at a cost of only Tk328. To date, the project has reached over one million people nationwide.
UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Anowarul Haq said: “Nearly 10,000 cases have been referred from district courts to village courts. This reflects growing trust among both the administration and the people in the village court system.”
Beneficiary Bilkis Begum (Narsingdi) shared her experience at the meeting, while village court representative Ratna Akhter called for expanding the program’s reach further.
A documentary highlighting village court activities was screened during the session. Participants, including national policymakers, legal experts, academics, journalists, development partners, and representatives from various ministries and organizations, agreed that making village courts more gender-sensitive and inclusive would play a critical role in ensuring social justice across rural Bangladesh.