Md. Sanaullah Riyad, Barguna:: “All citizens are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection in a court of law; this is stated in Articles 27 and 31 of the Bangladesh Constitution. But when the poor litigants of the country do not get legal aid due to lack of money to protect their rights, then this constitutional pledge of fundamental rights seems meaningless. The Bangladesh government passed the ‘Legal Aid Act-2000’ with the aim of ensuring this constitutional right of the poor litigants and providing legal aid. The helpless poor people now have the right to get justice free of cost. And to inform the people about this issue and to help in the judicial process, April 28 was declared as ‘National Legal Aid Day’ in 2013. No one will be deprived of justice due to lack of money.”
Through such a statement, the learned Senior District and Sessions Judge of Barguna District and Sessions Judge’s Court and Chairman of District Legal Aid, Md. Saifur Rahman, said these words to everyone.
He also said- “We are optimistic that every poor, helpless person in Bangladesh will be able to establish their legal rights under this positive program of the government. It is through this process that justice can be further accelerated and we firmly believe that Bangladesh will be able to stand tall in the court of the world as a liberal, democratic and more welfare state by re-establishing social justice.”
Keeping in mind the theme of ‘End of disputes at government expense, Bangladesh first’, the Legal Aid Department, District Committee of Barguna, organized the event at around 9 am on Tuesday (April 28) by releasing balloons and white doves, a symbol of peace, at the District and Sessions Judge Court premises. Later, a rally took out from the court premises and after circling the main roads of the city, it ended at the District and Sessions Judge Court premises and planted saplings in the court premises before joining a discussion meeting at the Jagannath Parde Memorial Mancha. After the discussion meeting, a blood donation program was inaugurated focusing on the day. At this time, Md. Aman Ullah, Steno of the District and Sessions Judge Court, was seen donating blood.
The discussion meeting of the National Legal Aid Day was presided over by Md. Saifur Rahman, Senior District and Sessions Judge and Chairman of the District Committee of the National Legal Aid Organization.
At the beginning of the program, the discussion meeting was addressed by Senior Civil Judge M. A. Azharul Islam, Member Secretary of Barguna District Legal Aid Committee and District Legal Aid Officer.
The discussion meeting, moderated by learned Judicial Magistrate Md. Rana Sheikh, was addressed as special guests by learned Judge Md. Osman Gani of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal of Barguna District and Sessions Judge’s Court, learned Chief Judicial Magistrate Md. Iqbal Masud, learned Additional District and Sessions Judge Shahidul Islam, Additional District Magistrate (ADM and Revenue) Sajal Chandra Shil, Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Md. Mukit Hasan Khan, President of the District Bar Association and Public Prosecutor (PP) Adv. Md. Nurul Amin, Government Pleader (GP) Adv. Md. Abdul Majid Talukder and Member Secretary of the District Bar Association Adv. Monowara Akhter.
The rally and discussion meeting organized on the occasion of ‘National Legal Aid Day’ was attended by learned judges of the Judicial Department, learned advocates of the district, heads of government departments and representatives of other departments including Sangram, Barguna Press Club President Md. Hafizur Rahman, journalists of print and electronic media.
Through this program, the president presented mementos and cash prizes to Adv. A, Q, Faruk and Adv. Monowara Akhter, who were selected as the best panel lawyers in the ‘National Legal Aid Day 2026’.
In this discussion meeting, beneficiaries Md. Monirul Islam and Mosa: Reba presented their problems and solutions to everyone. At the same time, these beneficiaries requested that the problems of helpless, oppressed and disadvantaged people be solved through the Legal Aid Office instead of going directly to the case.
As the last resort, people can establish their fair rights only through the court of law. Keeping this in mind, the National Legal Aid Center has been established. This organization solves problems very nicely and accurately to avoid the complexity of the case. For this, a senior assistant civil judge of the district and sessions judge’s court is appointed in each district.
Based on the complaint received by this officer, both parties are presented to the District Legal Aid Office through a notice and based on the words of both parties, if necessary, the problem is resolved by going to the field and holding a meeting in the presence of the locals. Not only by observing National Legal Aid Day, but all people involved in the law should come forward to achieve its main goal. They should work on their own initiative to solve the problem. The officer in charge of the District Legal Aid Office should work diligently. Only the cooperation of everyone can achieve the main goal of this organization. This is what the people of civil society hope.
