Legal aid services to the poor emphasised

SYLHET, July 29: Speakers at a view exchange meeting in Sylhet stressed on ensuring proper attention and sincere efforts for legal aid services to the poor, especially the distressed rural women.
BRAC organised the event styled 'Awareness and Legal Aid in Protecting Human Rights', while District and Sessions Judge of Sylhet Momin Ahmed Patwari chaired the meeting.
Held at the District Judge's conference room Tuesday evening, the meeting was told as many as 1528 complaints were lodged so far by the poor victims over their family trouble and other causes while 384 cases, including 337 under family laws were filed in courts through BRAC assistance in 8 Upazilas under Sylhet district.
Of the total complaints, 647 cases were resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process while Tk 43,92,000 were realised in favour of victims of different family dispute cases. Most of them are poor women.
Besides, over 52,282 villagers were imparted with basic legal education training on family and land laws, human rights and others in the 8 Upazilas, where legal assistance centres had been set up.
District Bar Association president and General Secretary AKM Shomiul Alam Khan and Ashoke Purkayostha, BLAST regional Coordinator Irfanuzzaman Chowdhury, district Women affairs officer Razia Begum, Government Pleader KMM Jalal and others addressed while Senior district manager, Legal aid & BRAC Human rights programme Md. Saifuddin presented the position paper.