Bangladesh advances digital legal aid rollout across eight districts

Bangladesh is rolling out a Digital Legal Aid System across eight districts to make government legal aid services more accessible and efficient. The initiative was discussed at a two-day coordination meeting in Gazipur on 15–16 August.

Justice-sector stakeholders discussed the initiative at a two-day coordination meeting at BRAC-CDM in Gazipur on 15–16 August, according to a press release. Invitees included judges, legal aid officials, and other stakeholders.

The meeting was organised under the "Accelerating Digital Legal Aid Services in Bangladesh" project.

The Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid (DBLA), under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, is implementing the project with financial support from the European Union and support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The project aims to modernise legal aid delivery by simplifying applications, case tracking, lawyer assignments, mediation, notifications and data management.

Judges and legal aid officials joined the meeting to strengthen local legal aid mechanisms, expand digital service delivery, and make justice more accessible to underserved communities.

The initiative covers Rajbari, Habiganj, Barguna, Netrokona, Joypurhat, Thakurgaon, Jhenaidah and Khagrachhari.

Its activities will focus on activating upazila and union legal aid committees, improving digital case management, and promoting online dispute resolution across the eight districts.

A key focus is selecting and functionalising 45 Upazila Legal Aid Committees and 300 Union Legal Aid Committees.

The committees are expected to bring legal aid services closer to communities, particularly people facing financial, geographical, or social barriers to accessing formal justice institutions.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman MP attended the inaugural session as chief guest.

Law and Justice Division Secretary Liaquet Ali Molla; Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid Director General Md Monjurul Hossain; Baiba Zarina, chargé d'affaires of the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh; and UNDP Bangladesh Senior Rule of Law, Justice and Security Adviser Romana Schweiger were among those who attended.

"Access to justice means ensuring human rights," Md Asaduzzaman said.

"Every citizen has inalienable, inherent and universal rights, and the state has a responsibility to ensure that citizens can access justice and exercise those rights," he added.

The minister also highlighted the importance of digitalisation, stronger public awareness of legal rights and legal aid services, and greater institutional engagement by the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid.

He also called for recognition of high-performing legal aid and judicial officers.

"We are committed to reducing the backlog of cases within one year," he said.

"Our goal is simple: a person who needs legal aid should be able to access that service and receive fair and accessible justice," Liaquet Ali Molla said.

Md Monjurul Hossain said the project would strengthen coordination across the justice sector.

"Legal aid is a basic component of the justice system, and digitalisation must make services fair, accessible and responsive to people," Baiba Zarina said.

"Introducing the digital legal aid platform is about making justice accessible to people," Romana Schweiger said.

"The platform has therefore been designed according to people's needs, including those of women and vulnerable groups," she added.

The meeting concluded on 16 August, with district and session judges from the eight districts and other invitees discussing online dispute resolution, committee activation, training, and legal aid data management.

The discussions paid particular attention to improving access to justice for women, persons with disabilities, and people living in poverty.

The chairs of the eight District Legal Aid Committees committed to strengthening the delivery of digital legal aid and expanding local access to justice.