Study finds procedural barriers in women and child tribunals

The conviction rate under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act remains alarmingly low at just 3%, with 70% of cases ending in acquittal, according to a joint study by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Brac.

The findings were presented at a consultation meeting at Brac Centre, Mohakhali, Dhaka, on 2 May, organised by Brac's Social Empowerment and Legal Protection programme.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman attended as chief guest.

In his remarks, the minister stated that the judiciary remains one of the most neglected state institutions, as reflected in national budget allocations.

"While the entire judiciary receives around Tk2,200 crore, nearly Tk2,500 crore is allocated to Bangladesh Television alone," he said, adding that managing judicial salaries, administrative costs, and infrastructure with limited resources remains highly challenging.

He noted that the government aims to reduce pending cases from 40 lakh to four lakh, but cases often branch into multiple sub-cases, making meaningful reduction difficult.

Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh chaired the session, stating that public trust in the state depends heavily on people's experiences in key sectors such as education, healthcare, law enforcement and the justice system.

He emphasised that increased budget allocations are necessary but insufficient without accountability, good governance and institutional responsibility.

"If most people, particularly women, believe they will not receive justice when their rights are violated, they will lose confidence in the system," he said.

Md Monjurul Hossain, Director General of the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid, observed that a low conviction rate often creates the perception that cases are false, though the reality is different.

He added that around 70% of women who experience violence do not pursue legal action due to social structures, stigma and fear of ostracisation.

The study analysed records of 4,040 cases disposed of between January and June 2025 across 32 districts.

It found that although the law requires cases to be concluded within 180 working days after investigation and trial, the average duration was 1,370 days, or 3.7 years, with each case scheduled for hearing 22 times on average.

Key barriers include the absence of complainants and witnesses, frequent adjournments, delays in investigation, weak evidentiary systems and a lack of witness protection.

The study recommended strict enforcement of statutory timelines, limiting unnecessary adjournments, ensuring timely forensic and medical reports, strengthening investigative capacity, introducing performance evaluation for prosecutors, holding survivor-sensitive trials, expanding legal aid and support services, and increasing the number of tribunals in districts with high caseloads.