Contents American International Journal of Social Science Research Vol. 1, No. 1; 2017 Published by Centre for Research on Islamic Banking & Finance and Business 22 Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam1 1 Department of Law, The Millennium University, Dhaka, Bangladesh Correspondence: 323/A, East Rampura, Dhaka.Tel:+8801717227007, E-mail: robilaw08@gmail.com. Received: August 1, 2017 Accepted: August 4, 2017 Online Published: August 5, 2017 Abstract Equal access to justice for the rich and poor alike is prerequisite to the maintenance of the rule of law. But the justice system through judicial administration is very costly in Bangladesh and that cost has been the most difficult factor for the poor and vulnerable sectors of people in case of getting justice. Thus an adequate legal aid system is one of the effective ways to ensure access to justice as well as to establish rule of law. In this paper attempts have been made to examine the present condition of the legal aid services in Bangladesh, the establishment and functions of the different legal aid committees but, importance is especially given to the local govt. level where legal aid services are provided by the District, Upazila and Union Legal Aid Committees. The study compares the role of the govt. and non- govt. organizations in dissemination of legal aid services among the people who do not manage themselves to get proper remedy due to various limitations and discriminations. After reviewing the collected data and analysis of these, it has observed that the cases to which legal aid services are provided include both the civil and criminal matters and the cases relating to family affairs. Finally conclusion is drawn after evaluating the activities of the aforesaid organizations and by making substantial recommendations to the concerned authority. Keywords: Access to justice, Legal aid, Bangladesh. 1. Introduction In a democratic country like Bangladesh every persons who are incapable of seeking justice due to financial insolvency, destitution, helplessness and for various socio economic conditions has the right to get legal aid services and justice. The people who are not conscious of their legal rights, court administration system and the causes leading to delay in disposal of cases, suffer a lot when they are engaged in a case or suit as a party. The government has passed The Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 with a view to providing legal aid services at free of cost to the poor and vulnerable sectors of people. Later, the govt. under this Act has formed The National Legal Aid Services Organization (Establishment of Upazilla & Union Committee, Duties & Functions etc) Regulations 2011 and Legal Aid Regulations 2014. Under this Act the govt. has established National Legal Aid Committee and in subordinates to this committee the District Committee with the chairmanship of the District & Sessions judge. Besides these, steps have been taken by forming the Upazilla and Union Legal Aid Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 23 Committee to engage lawyers with the govt. cost for providing legal aid service to the poor and vulnerable people. In the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh right to protection of Law, equality before law, equality of opportunities, protection of right to life and personal liberty etc have been inserted. The legal right or legal aid services of the people are mainly based on these constitutional rights. Article 19(1) of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh contains that the state shall Endeavour to ensure equality of opportunity to all citizens. 19(2) the state shall adopt effective measures to remove social and economic inequality between man and man to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth among citizens, and of opportunities in order to attain a uniform level of economic development throughout the Republic. 19(3) the state shall Endeavour to ensure equality of opportunity and participation of women all spheres of national life. Article 27 refers that all citizens are equal before Law and are entitled to equal protection of Law. Under article 31 to enjoy the protection of Law and to be treated in accordance with Law, and only in accordance with Law, is the inalienable right of every citizen, wherever he may be, and of every other person for the time being within Bangladesh, and in particular no action detriment to the life, liberty, body, reputation or property of any person shall be taken except in accordance with Law. Article 32 contains that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty save in accordance with Law. Article 33 enunciates the rules relating to safeguards as to arrest and detention. Article 42 elaborates the provision containing rights to property. Not only in Bangladesh but also in any democratic country every person has the right to get justice. But poor people cannot go to the court in order to seek proper remedy. National Legal Aid Services organization has been formed to provide legal aid services to the poor and helpless people. Through the organization the poor and helpless people of 64 districts have been benefitted. With the govt. many non-govt. organizations are providing legal aid services to the people of Bangladesh. 2. Objectives of the Research Efforts have been made to find out the present situation of legal aid services provided by the govt. and non-govt. organizations, barriers to the service, limitations and challenges for providing legal aid services and the people for whom the legal aid services have been introduced how much they have been benefited. The main objectives are-  To discuss the present situation of legal aid services of Bangladesh provided by the govt. and the NGO’s.  To evaluate the access of poor community to the legal aid services of Bangladesh.  To explain the legal provisions relating to legal aid services in different laws in Bangladesh  To describe the present condition of the Committee of District, Upazila & Union legal aid services.  To make some recommendations to the concerned authority for the solution of the problems. 3. Research Methodology To conduct this research in accordance with the objectives information has been collected from various sources relating to legal aid services in Bangladesh. This research paper is mainly based on secondary sources and data have been collected from books, reports of the govt. and non govt. legal aid organizations, articles, journals, statutes, case studies and internet browsing etc. 4. Relevant Terms and Concepts Legal Aid: Legal aid means the assistance in the legal matters both inside and outside the courts to the indigent litigants. Section 2(a) of the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 provides that Legal Aid means providing legal advice, paying Lawyers fees and cost of litigation including providing any other assistance to those who suffer financial Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 24 insolvency, destitution, helpless or are unable to access justice due to various socio-economic conditions. Access to Justice: a means of approaching or entering a place. In this research the word access has been used as right of the people in case of getting legal aid. 5. Limitations of the Research This research has some limitations. Time is an obstacle for developing this type of research paper. For time constraint it has not possible to include the opinions of the people seeking legal aid, District Legal Aid officers, Beneficiaries of the legal aid and the NGO’s working at the district level to provide legal aid etc. This research is based on secondary sources and further research will be conducted for collecting data in order to make it complete. 6. The Present Situation of Legal Aid Services in Bangladesh Under the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 the people who cannot afford them to collect the fees of the case management system, they are provided legal assistance without any cost. The following legal services are provided to the people seeking justice along with the legal advice: Providing free wokalatnama Appointment of lawyers for conducting the case Payment of Lawyers fee Payment of Mediators or Arbitrators fee Providing certified copy of judgment, order etc. free of cost Paying the cost of DNA test Providing the cost of advertisement in the newspapers of criminal cases Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Counseling Any other assistance along with costs for the cases 6.1 Persons Entitled to Legal Aid Services Rule 2 of the Legal Aid Services Principles, 2014 provides that the following persons can apply for legal aid services: For instituting a case in the Supreme Court the person whose annual income is not more than 1,50,000/- tk. For instituting a case in the District Court the person whose annual income is not more than 1,00,000/- tk. Any freedom fighter who is unable to earn annually more than 1, 00,000/- tk. Any worker whose annual income is not more than 1, 00,000/- tk. Any Children Any woman or child victim of physical, mental and sexual harassment Women and children victim of trafficking Persons having no accommodation or vagabond Any person of minor races, ethnic sects or community Any victim or who is at risk of family violence (Paribarik Sohingsota) such an aggrieved person Any person getting old age honorarium Impoverished persons holding VGD card People holding land in the Adarsha Gram. Women and children victim of acid throwing Destitute and helpless widow The under trail prisoners who are unable to appoint lawyers due to financial destitution Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 25 Any person considered by the court as helpless or destitute Any person recommended by the jail authority as helpless or destitute The Handicapped persons who are unable to income Any other person identified by the Legal Aid Committee as to the fulfillment of the purpose of the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000. 6.2 The Cases in Which Both the Govt. and NGO’s Cooperation is Applicable 6.2.1 Criminal Cases The criminal matters which include Physical Torture, Dowry and harassment for dowry, Acid Throwing, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Abduction, Rape, Sexual Harassment, Arrest and Detention by the Law enforcing agency etc. 6.2.2 Civil Cases The civil matters relating to Marriage without the consent of existing wife, Dower and Maintenance, Divorce, Guardianship and Custody of the Minor, Cancellation of Instrument/Deed, Permanent Injunction, Property distribution/ Partition, Recovery of Property, Suit for contact, Suit for Declaration etc. 6.3 Case Study Reports 6.3.1 Dr. Neelima Ibrahim vs. Bangladesh, 32 DLR, P 201 In this case it was held that the principle of audi alterem partem (to hear the other) unless expressly excluded by law or by the nature of the objects of any particular law is to be implied to have been proved in every statute. The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, 1972 has expressly recognized the basic fundamental human rights that are equal before law and equal protection of law. The actual feature of this country is a large number of people are not financially solvent or they do not have any other logistic support to get the appropriate service from the judicial system. In this content, the protection of equality before law and equal access to law in the Constitution of Bangladesh becomes mere paper tiger when an indigent people finds himself helpless in the police custody or jail custody and he cannot afford a lawyer to defend himself. 6.3.2 Abdur Rashid vs. State, 27 DLR, (AD) 1 In this case Justice Ahsan Uddin Chowdhury stated that the provisions in Legal Remembrancer’s Manual, 1960 Chapter XII were made in the aid of section 340 of the Code of Criminal Procedure with the manifest intention that the aid must be given in a manner so that the advocate appointed to defend the accused gets an adequate opportunity of preparing the case for the defend and if necessary in consultation with the accused. But a last moment appointment of an advocate for defending a prisoner, accused of capital sentence, results in a breach not only of the provisions of section 340 of the Code of Criminal Procedure but also of 6th paragraph of Chapter XII of the Legal Remembrancer’s Manual, 1960 and this kind of appointment frustrates the object behind the elaborate provisions of that Chapter (Rahaman, 2016). 6.3.3 Babu Khan vs. State, 55 DLR (HC) 547 The right of an accused to be defended by a lawyer in a case charged under section 302 of the Penal Code being punishable with death is an inalienable right guaranteed in the law of our land and if any trail takes place refusing such fundamental right the trail is a misnomer and the judgment passed convicting an accused is no judgment in the eye of law. 6.4 Role of the NGO’s in Legal Aid Services There are a number of NGOs in Bangladesh that operate wide ranging legal aid program at different district, Upazila and Uniion levels. Some NGOs have a long-standing engagement with human rights. Some leading NGOs have great contribution in the legal aid activities in Bangladesh. Among these Bangladesh Rural Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 26 Advancement Committee (BRAC), Ain o Salish Kendro (ASK), Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Madaripur Legal Aid Association (MLAA), Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA), Khan Foundation, Manusher Jonno Foundatiion, Democracy Watch, Rupantor, Light etc. There are other NGOs that also operate legal aid program for the poor and marginalized on top of other regular programs. Many NGOs though claim themselves as legal aid providers but very few of them are seen to provide legal aid as of their regular program (Hossain, 2015). 7. Legal Aid in Existing Laws of Bangladesh The government of Bangladesh has passed the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 with a view to providing legal advice and aid to the litigants, remuneration for the lawyers or arbitrators, any other assistance, who are incapable of seeking remedies due to financial insolvency, destitution, helplessness and for various socio economic conditions. Along with this Act other procedural and special laws also contain provisions relating to legal aid. 7.1 Legal Aid in Civil Law In civil matters, Order XXXIII of Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 deals with the pauper suit. A person is a pauper when he is not possessed of sufficient means to enable him to pay the fee prescribed by law for the plaint in such suit, or, where no such fee is prescribed, when he is not entitled to property wroth five hundred taka other than his necessary wearing apparel and the subject matter of the suit (Halim, 2009). Every application for permission to sue as a pauper shall contain the particulars required to plaints in suits and a schedule of the movable and immovable property along with the estimated value thereof. The application should be presented by the applicant to the court in person unless exempted by the court. The court shall reject an application for permission to sue as a pauper person; if the application is not framed & presented in the prescribed manner, where the applicant is not a pauper, where the applicant has within two months before the presentation of the application disposed of any property fraudulently in order to get permission to sue as a pauper, where there is no cause of action and where the applicant has entered into an agreement with reference to the subject matter of the proposed suit. Where the court grants an application in this regard then such application shall be treated as a plaint in the suit and the plaintiff not need to pay the fees connected with the suit except the process fees. But if the court refused an application for pauper then it creates a bar for the applicant to a subsequent similar application although he is free to institute a suit in the ordinary manner (Jahan, 2015). 7.2 Legal Aid in Criminal Law The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 contains provisions relating to the right to legal defense. According to section 340 (1) any person accused of an offence before a criminal court, or against whom proceedings are instituted under this code in any such court, may of right be defended by a pleader (Sagar and Rahman, 2015). Moreover, the Legal Remembrancer's Manual, 1960 provides that an indigent person accused of an offence punishable with death sentence is to be provided with the assistance of' a lawyer at the expense of the state. The above provisions may be seen as embedded in a ‘negative right’ to legal aid contained in the Constitution of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. Article 33(1) of the Constitution provides that no arrested person shall be detained in custody without being informed of the grounds for such arrest, nor shall he be denied the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of his choice. The need for legal aid is felt more in criminal matters as to life; property and personal liberty of a person are inseparably connected there. As regards criminal matters, section 340 of the code of Criminal Procedure states that an accused should be defended by a lawyer and he must pay the fees and nothing more. Commenting on section 340 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Supreme Court of India observed that the right conferred by section 340 (1) does not extend to a right in an Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 27 accused person to be provided with a lawyer by the State, or by the police or by the Magistrate. That is a privilege given to him and it is his duty to ask for a lawyer if he wants to engage one and to engage one himself or get his relations to engage one for him. The only duty cast on the Magistrate is to afford him the necessary opportunity (Hossain, 2015). 7.3 Legal Aid in Special Laws 7.3.1 The Acid Control Act, 2002 Section 8 of the Acid Control Act, 2002 contains provision relating to duties and responsibilities of the District Acid Control Committee. Section 8(c) provides that the District Acid Control Committee shall implement and manage the procedures taken by the National Acid Control Committee with regard to provide medical support, rehabilitation and legal aid services to the victims of acid throwing. 7.3.2 Paribarik Sohingsota (Protirodh O Surokkha) Ain, 2010 Section 4 contains provision relating to duties and responsibilities of police officer. Under section 4(d) the police officer after getting information of family violence or being informed by staying thereto where family violence occurs, shall inform the victim of the legal aid and services provided at free of cost under the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000. Under section 6(e) the enforcement officer shall help the aggrieved person of family violence so that she can get legal advice at free of cost under the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000. Section 7 states that the service provider shall perform functions so as to provide legal aid, medical treatment, financial or other support for protection of human rights to women and children through the institutions recognized by the govt. in this behalf. 7.3.3 The Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Act, 2012 Section 34 states providing information to the victims and to the public generally. 34(2) provides that the investigating officer or the person or organization identifying and rescuing the victim of human trafficking shall at once inform the affected person of his rights to compensation and legal aid and of other benefits available under this Act. Section 40 contains provision relating to financial assistance to the victim of human trafficking. Without prejudice to the right or opportunity to receive legal aid from any non government institution or under the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000, the government may provide financial assistance to the victim of human trafficking or to the victim from the fund established under this Act. 8. Analysis and Findings of the Research 8.1 Administration of Legal aid in Bangladesh The structure of administration of legal aid in Bangladesh is as below: National Legal Aid Services Organization; National Board of Management; Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee District Legal Aid Committee Upazila Legal Aid Committee Union Legal Aid Committee Special Legal Aid Committee 8.1.1 National Legal Aid Services Organization (NLASO) In terms of the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000, National Legal Aid Services Organization (hereinafter NLASO) is established to implement the government legal aid program across the country. In the following cases legal aid Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 28 is provided by NLASO: (i) Civil suits such as land related dispute. (ii) Criminal cases such as theft/cheating/fraud. (iii) Family suits such as dower, maintenance. (iv) Jail appeals such as criminal cases. (v) Any other case fit for legal aid. 8.1.2 National Board of Management Management authority of NLASO where vested in a National Board of Management is consisted of twenty members where the Minister, Ministry for Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs will be the chairman. 8.1.3 Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee (SCLAC) The SCLAC is consisted with ten members where a Judge of the High Court Division nominated by the Chief Justice shall be its chairman. The Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee provides legal aid to the people whose annual income is not more than one lac fifty thousand (1,50,000/-) tk. in the following cases: Civil Appeal and Revision Criminal Appeal and revision Jail Appeal Writ petition Leave to appeal The said Committee also providing the followings legal aids: Legal advice Filing and dealing with cases Expert opinion on the cases Bearing the cost of the cases 8.1.4 District Legal Aid Committee (DLAC) The (DLAC) consist of twenty-five members where the District and Sessions Judge will be the Chairman. The Committee mainly provides legal aid accordance with the criteria determined and policies made by the Organization. 8.1.5 Upazila Legal Aid Committee (UZLAC) Section 12 of the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 recognizes to form Upazila Committee in every Upazila headed by one Chairman and fourteen other members. However, according to paragraph 3 of the National Legal Aid Services Organization (Establishment of Upazila and Union Committee, Duties, Functions, Etc) Regulations, 2011, Upazila Legal Aid Committee consists of fifteen members where Upazila Chairman shall be the Chairman of the Committee. The Committee follows the principles as determined by the organization. 8.1.6 Union Legal Aid Committee (ULAC) Union Legal Aid Committee (ULAC) consists of fifteen members where the UP Chairman will be the Chairman of the Committee. The Committee follows the principles as determined by the Organization or DLAC. 8.1.7 Special Legal Aid Committee (SLAC) Section 12A of the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 recognizes to establish SLAC consists of a chairman and fourteen other members and their nomination, qualification, etc will be determined by the regulations. Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 29 8.2 Legal Aid Services Provided by the Govt. 8.2.1 People Who Accepted Legal Aid Services through 64 District Legal Aid Committees Year Number of people Female Male Children Total 2009 3175 5953 32 9160 2010 4986 6190 90 11266 2011 6479 6016 73 12568 2012 8078 7325 47 15450 2013 10448 9016 29 19493 2014 14467 10793 23 25283 2015 16650 13708 51 30409 2016 18083 15566 85 33734 Total 82366 74567 430 157363 Source: National Legal Aid Services yearly Activities Statistics, collected from Khan Foundation. 8.2.2 Legal Aid Services to Prisoner through 64 District Legal Aid Committees Year No of Prisoner 2012 6034 2013 6246 2014 6774 2015 8704 2016 9694 Total 37452 Source: National Legal Aid Services yearly Activities Statistics, collected from Khan Foundation. 8.2.3 Disposed of Cases through Legal Aid Services Year Civil Criminal Total 2009 1174 2350 3524 2010 1681 3825 5506 2011 1778 3322 5100 2012 1525 2609 4134 2013 2001 3630 5631 2014 4100 6574 10674 2015 4179 8237 12416 2016 4523 9254 13777 Total 20961 39801 60762 Source: National Legal Aid Services yearly Activities Statistics, collected from Khan Foundation. Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 30 8.3 Limitations and Problems of the Lawyers for Conducting the Legal Aid Cases  Lawyers gradually become uninterested due to charge free cases.  The Plaintiff/ Complainant as to the nature of the case do not communicate with the lawyers and they forget case date due to procrastination.  Police officers do not provide the police report (Charge sheet/ Final Report) to the court properly.  Summons does not reach to the person summoned properly due to distance from district area to remote area.  Non production of evidence and witnesses in time.  Fees of the Lawyers are not paid up on time and though there is the system of advance payment but unwillingness to follow that the lawyers lose their interest for those cases.  Discharged of the Criminals by the influence of political power.  Problems created by the peon, bench clerk and GRO.  Influence of Touts in the court area.  Procrastination in the criminal cases due to absence of witnesses. 9. Recommendation  The environment of the court must be free from touts and excess fee should not be collected from the poor people.  The staffs and officers of the legal aid offices should be more cordial and cooperative to the People searching for legal aid.  The cases relating to legal aid services should be disposed of within a very short time.  The govt. should take more initiatives to make the people aware of the legal aid in the rural areas throughout the country.  Both qualitative & quantitative reports relating to legal aid should be prepared and published quarterly.  Union Information center should be set up as legal aid information cell in order to extend legal aid services at the remote areas.  The Lawyers should voluntarily take initiative to cooperate with the people for legal aid service.  The persons interested to get legal aid service should be given the scope to choose lawyers from the panel of Lawyers.  The Lawyers of the District Legal Aid Committee should be more cordial and cooperative to the poor community for the legal aid services.  The non-govt. organizations should organize more awareness programs for smooth functioning of the legal aid programs.  Both the govt. and non-govt. organizations should appoint monitoring members for inspiring quality assurance of legal aid service.  The warranted criminal should be arrested and the charge sheet should be sent to the court without an amount of delay.  The representatives of the local govt. should be encouraged to be engaged in legal aid services to resolve disputes.  Short film and advertisement in the mass media of the legal aid can be introduced to make the people more aware of. Access to Justice through Legal Aid: A Study in Bangladesh Rabiul Islam 31 10. Conclusion The govt. under the Legal Aid Services Act, 2000 in different ways and by forming different committees has been providing legal aid services to the poor and helpless people of Bangladesh. Notwithstanding a significant number of people of Bangladesh are still deprived of their constitutional right of access to justice and fair judicial administration caused mainly by poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, oppression and exploitation. The role of the govt. along with the non- govt. organizations, in providing the legal aid services to help these people are noteworthy. Different non- govt. organizations are playing effective role in the rural and remote areas where most of the people are not familiar with the legal aid services. The non- govt. organizations specially BRAC, BLAST, Ain O Shalish Kendra, Manusher Jonno Foundation, Khan Foundation, Madaripur Legal Aid Association, Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, Democracy Watch, Rupantor, Light House etc are playing effective functioning to make the people aware of legal aid services by providing free legal advices and becoming known with the ways of getting legal support from the Union, Upazila and District Legal Aid Committee. Both the govt. and non-govt. organizations in Bangladesh at different levels of the national and social life are playing effective role in creating awareness among the people relating to the legal aid services. But due to various procedural complications and limitations it has not reached at the optimal level. 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