The Department of Law at Uttara University in association with Tangail District Legal Aid Office organised an awareness meeting on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) on Wednesday (3 December).
The event, held at Beribaid union in Madhupur, Tangail, aimed to educate the local people on accessible justice mechanisms outside the traditional court system.
Chief Legal Aid Officer for Tangail, Abu Taher Tahsan, attended as a special guest. The university delegation was led by Associate Professor Dr Md Omar Faruque Munshi and included Assistant Professor Dr Md Faruk Hossain, and lecturers Md Rakibul Hasan Roni, Asaduzzaman Sohag, and Md Jahidul Islam Oyon.
Local representatives, including the coordinator of the village court project, the panel chairman, and members of the Beribaid Union Council, alongside approximately fifty community members, were present.
While addressing the gathering, Dr Md Omar Faruque Munshi said that the core purpose of ADR is to make justice accessible to people at their doorstep. He also noted that the formal judicial process is often cumbersome, slow, and costly, whereas ADR offers a pathway to resolution beyond these formal structures.
In his speech, Abu Taher elaborated on the role of the Legal Aid Office in facilitating ADR. He highlighted that disputing parties regularly reach resolutions free of charge through the office’s mediation services.
Tahsan stressed that a sincere willingness from both parties to resolve the issue is fundamental for successful mediation.
A spontaneous open discussion session revealed a strong understanding of ADR at the leadership level but a discernible lack of information among the general public.
Emphasising the need for broader awareness, Dr Munshi remarked that for ADR to deliver its full benefits, its concepts must be clear not only to leaders but also to the common people.
This community meeting is a component of the Extended Community Legal Service and Awareness Project undertaken by Uttara University’s Law Department. The department has expressed its commitment to organising more such outreach events in the future.
