Photo : Collected

DHAKA, April 27, 2026 (BSS) – Ensuring access to justice for all, particularly the poor and vulnerable, remains a key government priority, with the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid continuing to expand free legal assistance across the country.

As Bangladesh prepares to observe National Legal Aid Day on April 28, the state-run legal aid mechanism has emerged as a vital support system for thousands of underprivileged people seeking justice in criminal, civil, family, and labour-related disputes, as well as for prisoners languishing in jail without trial.

Referring to legal aid services as an important part of the government’s “Bangladesh First” initiative, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said the programme has expanded its coverage beyond poor and helpless people to include victims of political violence and torture, persons with disabilities, and citizens burdened with legal cases.

He also said legal assistance would be ensured for families affected by the July Mass Uprising, relatives of martyrs, and those injured during the movement.

Through its district legal aid offices, the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office, labour legal aid cells, and the toll-free national helpline 16699, the organisation has been working to ensure that justice is not denied due to poverty. The government is also strengthening alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to reduce case backlogs and make legal services more accessible at the grassroots level.

The fundamental principles of government legal aid are to be pro-poor and accessible, accountable and high-quality, effective and equitable, and collaborative.

Since its inception in 2009, the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid (DBLA) has provided services to a total of 1,437,736 people up to March 2026.

The DBLA district offices have so far provided free legal advice to 312,813 people, of whom 203,029 are women. People seek assistance from these offices on a wide range of issues, including post-divorce maintenance, mahr, guardianship of minor children, divorce, family disputes, violence against women and children, and land-related conflicts.

Describing legal aid as a fundamental right of every citizen, Md Monjurul Hossain, Director General of the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid, stressed the importance of bringing such services closer to communities.