Only three percent of accused in cases of violence against women and children are convicted, while 70 percent are acquitted after trial, according to a joint study by the Supreme Court and BRAC.
The findings, presented at a meeting at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali on Saturday under BRAC’s Social Empowerment and Legal Protection programme, also showed that 13 percent of cases end in settlements between complainants and the accused.
Major barriers to justice
The study identified significant barriers in implementing the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Absence of complainants and witnesses, frequent adjournments, delays in investigation, weak evidence systems, and lack of witness protection were cited as major causes of delayed justice.
Without adequately addressing these barriers, the time limit in the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 has been reduced to 90 days.
Judiciary ‘most neglected’
Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman, speaking at the meeting, said the judiciary remains the most neglected among the three branches of the state. Comparing budget allocations, he noted that Bangladesh Television alone receives around Tk 2,500 crore, while the entire judiciary receives about Tk2,200 crore.
“It is highly challenging to run the judiciary within such a limited budget, which must cover judges’ salaries as well as administrative and infrastructure costs,” he said.
The minister said the government is working to reduce the number of pending cases from 40 lakh to 4 lakh, but the total is not declining as new cases continue to emerge from existing ones. He also noted that in many instances, lawyers contribute to prolonging cases.
He stressed that improving the justice system’s effectiveness requires development in three areas — mindset, structure and capacity.
Erosion of trust
BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh warned that if the majority of people, especially women, feel they will not get justice when their rights are violated, trust in the justice system will erode.
He said there is no alternative to results-based work to ensure a women- and child-friendly justice system, adding that collective accountability is essential.
To build a humane state, he emphasised the need to reduce delays in justice delivery, establish a victim-centred administration, introduce punishment for false cases, and ensure a safe and effective justice system for women.
