Chattogram District Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah has emphasized that resolving minor disputes at the local level through village courts can significantly reduce the pressure on higher courts.
He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting titled “Role and Responsibilities of Legal Aid NGOs in Activating Village Courts”, held on 19 may, 2026 morning at the Chattogram Circuit House conference hall under the Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh Phase-III Project, on 19 May.
The DC highlighted that ensuring access to justice for marginal communities requires the effective activation of village courts. He urged all stakeholders to focus on resolving small disputes locally instead of allowing them to escalate.
“Rather than magnifying minor conflicts, we should prioritize solutions,” he said, adding that people from all sections of society must come forward to help settle disputes at the grassroots level.
He also noted that the Union Parishad, a more than 200-year-old institution in Bangladesh’s administrative structure, plays a vital role in local governance. “If Union Parishads remain active, government operations at the grassroots will function smoothly.”
The meeting was chaired by Golam Mainuddin Hasan, Deputy Director of the Local Government Division at the DC Office, and moderated by Sajedul Anwar Bhuiyan, District Manager of the Village Court Activation Project (Phase III).
Special guests included Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Md. Sharif Uddin, Assistant Commissioners S.M. Amirul Mostafa and Farzana Rahman Mim, Assistant Director of the District Social Services Office Urbashi Dewan, Legal Analyst of UNDP Bangladesh Mashiur Rahman Chowdhury, and YPSA Assistant Director and Project Coordinator Farhana Idris.
Representatives from around 40 NGOs operating in Chattogram district participated in the meeting.
Speakers at the event noted that NGOs have long been playing a crucial role in ensuring access to justice for rural and marginalized communities. Their activities include arbitration, legal counseling, financial support for litigation, legal awareness campaigns, and human rights advocacy.
However, it was observed that many NGO workers and representatives still lack sufficient understanding of the village court system, including its jurisdiction, procedures, and potential. As a result, despite having access to quicker and more affordable justice at the local level, many people tend to approach district or higher courts, leading to unnecessary expenditure of time, money, and effort.
In this context, participants stressed the importance of integrating village court mechanisms into NGO activities and raising awareness among stakeholders.
According to information shared at the meeting, under the Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh (Phase III) Project, NGOs in Chattogram have conducted 872 awareness campaigns between February 2024 and April 2026 across unions in 15 Upazilas. These initiatives have reached a total of 31,848 men and 38,138 women, promoting awareness about village court services.
Participants expressed optimism that with stronger collaboration between NGOs and local government bodies, village courts can become more effective in delivering accessible, low-cost, and timely justice to rural populations.
