Village courts: Justice for the poor at Tk10 within 28 days
Legal experts highlighted that village courts are particularly benefiting vulnerable groups, such as women, persons with disabilities, and ethnic minorities, by providing easier access to justice
Village courts across 61 districts are offering swift and affordable justice, enabling poor and marginalised communities to resolve disputes with minimal cost and delay.
Criminal cases can be filed for just Tk10, while civil matters require a fee of Tk20. Although the legal framework allows up to 90 days for case disposal, recent data showed that most cases are being resolved within an average of 28 days.
Legal experts highlighted that village courts are particularly benefiting vulnerable groups, such as women, persons with disabilities, and ethnic minorities, by providing easier access to justice.
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Emphasise reconciliation
These courts also emphasised reconciliation between parties, fostering community harmony. However, many citizens still approach police stations or formal courts for minor disputes due to limited awareness of village court services.
Experts believed that broader use of village courts could significantly ease the burden on higher courts, reduce case backlogs, and accelerate the delivery of justice nationwide.
Since people are not well informed about village courts, many cases that could be filed here are instead taken to police stations and conventional courts
The "Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh - Phase III" project, under the Local Government Division, is one of the major initiatives of the Government of Bangladesh with support from UNDP and the European Union.
Its objective is to strengthen the village court system across the country as an effective local dispute resolution mechanism.
Talking to BSS, Moshiur Rahman Chowdhury, legal analyst of the project, said village courts are now functional in 61 districts.
"We are taking various steps to make the system more active. Since people are not well informed about village courts, many cases that could be filed here are instead taken to police stations and conventional courts," he said.
He added that cases are being disposed of rapidly in village courts. "Although the law allows 90 days, on average disposal is completed in only 28 days," he noted.
He continued, "The purpose of the court is to settle disputes by reconciling both sides. People can get justice within their own union without having to spend extra time and money going to police stations or higher courts."
Village courts
Established under the Village Court Act 2006, these courts operate at union parishad level to resolve certain criminal and civil disputes locally and speedily. They can dispose of cases involving claims of up to Tk3,00,000.
No lawyer is required in these courts.
Case filing procedure
Applicants must collect a form from the union parishad, fill it in properly, and submit it to the chairman along with the required fee of Tk10 for criminal cases and Tk20 for civil cases.
Applications must be submitted within 30 days of a criminal dispute and within 60 days of a civil dispute. However, a case can be filed within one year from the date of seizure of immovable property.
Ways to support the people
Village courts provide justice locally at minimal cost. Apart from the application fee, there are no additional expenses.
The system helps reduce the backlog in higher courts while giving the poor and disadvantaged quick and easy access to remedies.
Opportunities in village courts
Village courts offer quick, low-cost, and simple dispute resolution. Both the applicant and the defendant have equal rights to nominate representatives.
Parties can present their own arguments without engaging lawyers. Disputes are usually resolved through mutual understanding, which reduces the likelihood of further conflict.
The system also seeks to restore relations between the two sides. Poor and marginalised people-particularly women, persons with disabilities, and ethnic minorities-can easily avail themselves of this opportunity for justice.
Scope of dispute settlement
Village courts may handle criminal cases such as theft, fraud, assault, unlawful restraint, intimidation, indecent behaviour towards women, and certain property offences.
Civil cases may include recovery of dues, possession of immovable property, damages for wrongful acts, recovery of livestock-related damages, agricultural wage disputes, and maintenance claims by wives.
However, village courts cannot try serious offences such as rape, murder, abduction, dacoity, polygamy, divorce, guardianship, dowry, violence against women and children, disputes involving bloodshed, ownership of immovable property, or claims exceeding Tk300,000.
Formation of the court
Each village court consists of the union parishad chairman and four members, two nominated by the plaintiff and two by the defendant.
If the chairman is absent, the panel chairman or another member presides. In cases involving women, female representation is mandatory.
Fines and contempt
Filing of false cases in village courts may result in a fine of up to Tk5,000.
Any witness who deliberately ignores summons issued by the court can be fined up to Tk1,000.
Similarly, an individual found guilty of contempt of court may also be fined up to Tk1,000.
Contempt of court includes acts such as using abusive language against the court, creating obstruction in its proceedings, failing to hand over documents despite court orders, or refusing to answer questions.
