A mobile legal aid camp was launched in Korail on Monday, delivering free legal services directly to the residents of one of Dhaka’s largest informal settlements.
The initiative, marking National Legal Aid Day 2026, was observed under the theme “State-funded justice for all, Bangladesh first”.
It specifically targets vulnerable communities, including women and low-income groups, who frequently face barriers such as high costs, distance, and a lack of legal awareness.
Residents gathered at the mobile units to seek advice on family disputes and land and property issues, receiving on-the-spot legal counselling and referrals from lawyers and paralegals.
The camp was inaugurated by the Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman, who flagged off two mobile units.
“Previously, accessing justice required significant time and financial resources,” the minister said.
He emphasised that cost is no longer a barrier as the government now delivers legal aid directly to people’s doorsteps. He encouraged those in need to call the hotline 16699, after which the Bangladesh Legal Aid Directorate will aid through a panel of lawyers, with the government bearing all legal costs.
The project is a partnership between the government, the German Embassy, and GIZ Bangladesh, aimed at ensuring justice reaches the most marginalised and remotest parts of the country. Rüdiger Lotz, the German ambassador to Bangladesh, welcomed the initiative, noting that community-based aid is essential for equal access to justice.
Under the ‘Access to Justice for Women’ project – funded by Germany and the European Union and implemented by GIZ Bangladesh – more than 10,000 people have already received support through paralegals.
The community mediators, mostly women-led, have helped resolve over 6,000 disputes before they reached the formal court system.
This initiative arrives as the Bangladeshi justice system faces a backlog of more than 4.5 million pending cases. While many, particularly women facing violence, remain unaware of where to seek help due to social stigma and financial constraints, recent amendments to the legal framework regarding pre-case and post-case mediation aim to resolve disputes more affordably and reduce pressure on the courts.
Md Monjurul Hossain, director general of the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid, described legal aid as a fundamental right and stressed the importance of community-level service delivery. To this end, mobile legal aid camps will be conducted across nine locations in Dhaka North and South City Corporations, focusing on areas with high concentrations of vulnerable populations.
At these sites, the panel lawyers from District Legal Aid Committees will provide free advice while trained paralegals inform residents of available services.
The launch event also included a cultural programme and a forum theatre performance using real-life stories to illustrate how legal aid can resolve common disputes.
The mobile camp was organised by the Bangladesh Legal Aid Directorate under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, in cooperation with GIZ Bangladesh through the “Access to Justice for Women” project.
The project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded by the European Union.
