Jamaat backs proposal to decentralise lower courts

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday expressed support for the proposal made by the National Consensus Commission to decentralise the lower judiciary and extend its reach to the upazila level, aiming to bring justice closer to people, reports UNB.

Talking to reporters during a break on the tenth day of the Commission's second round of meetings with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital, Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad said their party agreed with the proposal.

"Jamaat has agreed with the Commission's proposal on decentralisation of the lower judiciary, bringing it from district to upazila level. We have supported their proposal because today's National Consensus Commission, today's interim government, and the overall situation in Bangladesh-all centre around the public aspiration for change on 5 August. In the interest of the people, we want to bring the courts to their doorsteps," said Azad.

Explaining the reasoning behind this support, Azad highlighted the hardships faced by rural citizens in accessing justice.

"If someone living in an upazila seeks justice, they have to overcome significant communication barriers to reach the district level. There is an economic aspect to this. Distance and time are also factors.

Once at the district level, arranging a lawyer and undergoing the judicial process brings about psychological suffering, as well as costs for accommodation and food," he said.