RANGPUR, April 18, 2019 (BSS) – Government officials at a workshop have
stressed on ensuring women-friendly environment at village courts to quickly
deliver justice to rural people, including women, at their doorsteps.
They specially called upon grassroots level public representatives to
create social awareness, explore capability of village courts and increase
facilities for women in quickly resolving local disputes to ensure justice
and earn public confidence.
The district administration organised the workshop on “Enhancing
Capacity and Awareness on Gender and Village Court” at conference room of the
Deputy Commissioner in on Wednesday afternoon, a press release said today.
The event was arranged with assistance of the Activating Village Courts
in Bangladesh (second phase) project being implemented by Local Government
Division with financial assistance of European Union and UNDP.
Sixty participants including union parishad chairmen, members and
secretaries, human rights organisations, district and upazila level
government officials participated.
Deputy Commissioner Enamul Habib attended the workshop as the chief
guest with Deputy Director (Local Government) Ruhul Amin Miah in the chair.
Senior Assistant Judge and District Legal Aid Officer Md Rawshan Alam,
Additional Police Super Maruf Ahmed, Senior District Information Officer Md
Humayun Kobir and Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Ofifcer Ishrat Sdaiya Sumi, addressed
as special guests.
Gender Specialist of the UNDP for Activating Village Courts in
Bangladesh (second phase) project Qamrunnessa Nazli delivered keynote
presentation in the workshop moderated by Destruct Facilitator of the project
Md Matiur Rahman.
Qamrunnessa Nazli said the project is currently being implemented in 41
unions of Sadar, Kawnia, Taraganj, Badaragnja and Pirganj upazials of Rangpur
and 1,080 unions of 128 upazilas of 27 districts across the country in the
second phase, she added.
The participating union parisahd chairmen and members narrated their
field level experiences in running their activities and prevailing challenges
with suggestions for further strengthening of village courts.
The chief guest suggested union parisahd chairmen to come out of
political affiliations and run activities of village courts ensuring
congenial environment for all, including female justice-seekers of rural
areas.
“The village courts could further contribute to reduce pressure of huge
number of cases on lower courts by resolving minor disputes and conflicts
amicably of rural people without knocking doors of the courts or police
stations,” he added.