BLAST’s mission is to ensure access to justice in Bangladesh for those living in poverty or facing discrimination, and for marginalized communities in particular. It provides legal aid in the form of information, advice, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and free legal representation. BLAST also conducts training, workshops, public interest litigation and advocacy campaigns to spread knowledge and awareness of constitutional and legal rights, remedies and available services.
BLAST’s advocacy campaigns target the activation of institutional mechanisms such as the functioning of the courts, the activation of the National Human Rights Commission, the development, amendment and implementation of laws, and ensuring that alternative dispute resolution is accessible and effective. BLAST conducts investigations and holds dialogues with government officials and other key stakeholders in the justice system, including lawyers, medical professionals, law enforcement agencies, and the media. BLAST regularly undertakes public interest litigation to further institutional accountability.
BLAST is especially concerned about access to judicial remedies. In response to a petition filed by BLAST, the High Court ordered the Government of Bangladesh to implement legal provisions for setting up district courts in the three districts of the CHT according to the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation Amendment Act, 2003, and to establish Nari-o-Shishu Nirjaton Bishesh Adalat (Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Tribunals) as mandated under the Suppression of Violence against Women and Children Act 2000, as amended in 2003. After BLAST obtained a judgment in its favour, the Government established Courts of the District Judge and an Assistant District Judge in all three districts and also enabled the Tribunals to start functioning.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution – Community-Based Mediation as an Auxiliary to Formal Justice in Bangladesh: the Madaripur Model of Mediation (MMM) (2003)
- Strengthening Family Courts: An Analysis of the Confusions and Uncertainties Thwarting the Family Courts in Bangladesh (2006)
- Separation of the Judiciary: What to Do in the Present Context – A Report on the Roundtable Discussion on 19 July 2006 at Press Club (2006)
- Reviewing the Family Courts Ordinance 1985 (2008)
- Legislative Initiatives and Reforms in the Family Laws (2009
Judgments:
- BLAST and others vs. Bangladesh and others [Section 54 Guidelines Case, or Rubel Killing Case, or Guidelines on Arrest and Remand Case] Writ Petition No. 3806 of 1998
55 DLR (2003) 363
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Summary
- Bangladesh Legal Aid Services and Trust vs. Bangladesh and others [Chittagong Hill Tracts Courts Case] Writ Petition No. 606 of 2006
61 DLR (2009) 109
Full Text (Available in Bangla Only)
Summary
- ASK, BLAST and others vs. Bangladesh and others [Extra-Judicial Penalties Case] Writ Petition No. 5863 of 2009
Summary
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Pending:
- Order in case on emergency medical services
- Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and Others vs Bangladesh and Others
Case No: W.P. No. 5140/2013 [ Property Rights of Religious Minorities] Summary
- BLAST and others vs. Additional Divisional Commissioner, Chittagong and others [Chittagong Hill Tracts ADC’s Powers Case] Writ Petition No. 7013 of 2004
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- ASK, BLAST and others vs. Bangladesh and others [KTS Garments Fire Case] Writ Petition No. 2019 of 2006
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- Md. Kamal Hossain and others vs. Bangladesh and others [Spectrum Sweater Factory Collapse Case] Writ Petition No. 3566 of 2005
Summary
CASE STUDIES
a) Case Study 1: Arti’s struggle for compensation
Arti Bali, 50, who lives in a village in Noakhali, is a domestic worker. Her son Mohan is an apprentice at a hair salon in the local market. The family’s total monthly income is around BDT 5,000.
In October 2017, around 12:00 pm one day, Mohan and a neighbour, Bikash, 20, were going to the market together. They started an argument, and Bikash accused Mohan of spitting on him and began to beat him up badly. Mohan needed to get treatment for his wounds which cost BDT 3,000. Arti struggled to bear these costs with the help of relatives and neighbours. It took more than ten days for Mohan to regain his health. Having no idea about legal remedies or court procedures and also lacking the financial means, Arti was unable to take any legal steps. Mohan’s uncle who has a shop in the local market learnt about the Village Court through activities such as video shows and rallies which BLAST organised (under a government project on Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh). He informed Arti about this Court and she went to file a case there. She paid a fee of BDT 10 and filed a case within the week against Bikash, seeking BDT 3,000 as compensation.
On receiving a summons, Bikash appeared in the Village Court at the scheduled time. In the presence of the applicant and the Chairman, he acknowledged the incident, apologised and paid damages of BDT 3,000 while promising not to repeat this action in the future. Arti’s case was settled in just five days. Arti used the money she received as damages to repay her debt and bear her day-to-day expenses. The total expense of conducting the case including transportation costs was BDT 90.
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION – JUDGEMENTS
মিডিয়া কভারেজ: “হেফাজতে নির্যাতন ও দায়বদ্ধতা: প্রতিবন্ধকতা ও প্রতিকার”
Bangla জানালেন ঢামেক চিকিৎসক - গুলিতে নিহতদের মৃত্যুসনদ পরিবর্তনের নির্দেশ ছিল ( Samakal, 9 Sep 2024) ব্লাস্টের মতবিনিময় সভায় বক্তারা: হেফাজতে নির্যাতন বন্ধে জবাবদিহি নিশ্চিত করতে হবে ( Prothom Alo, 8 Sep 2024) ব্লাস্টের
হেফাজতে নির্যাতন ও দায়বদ্ধতা: প্রতিবন্ধকতা ও প্রতিকার
তারিখ: ৮ সেপ্টেম্বর ২০২৪ প্রেস বিজ্ঞপ্তি হেফাজতে নির্যাতনের শিকার ভুক্তভোগী ব্যক্তিদের সহায়তার জন্য হটলাইন নম্বর চালু করা এবং রায় উল্লেখিত ক্ষতিপূরণ দ্রুত প্রদানের দাবী জানান মতবিনিময় সভায় অংশগ্রহনকারী বক্তারা বিদ্যমান নির্যাতন এবং হেফাজতে মৃত্যু
শিশু উন্নয়ন কেন্দ্রগুলোতে শিশুদের সাথে নিয়মিত সাক্ষাতের অধিকার নিশ্চিত করা এবং আইনের সংঘাতে আসা শিশুদের জামিনের বিষয়টি বিবেচনায় নেবার জোর দাবী জানাচ্ছে শিশুর প্রতি শারীরিক ও মানসিক শাস্তি নিরসনে কোয়ালিশন
প্রেস বিজ্ঞপ্তি ০৩ সেপ্টেম্বর ২০২৪ শিশু উন্নয়ন কেন্দ্রগুলোতে শিশুদের সাথে নিয়মিত সাক্ষাতের অধিকার নিশ্চিত করা এবং আইনের সংঘাতে আসা শিশুদের জামিনের বিষয়টি বিবেচনায় নেবার জোর দাবী জানাচ্ছে শিশুর প্রতি শারীরিক ও মানসিক শাস্তি নিরসনে কোয়ালিশন
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION – HEARING PENDING
Beggar’s Rehabilitation Case (2011)
Under the “Beggar Rehabilitation and Alternative Employment Programme” the Government engaged ten NGOs to participate in registering persons as beggars, and classifying them into different categories. These would classify people as beggars who are seasonal/irregular, occupational, women, children, aged 1-12, aged 12-50, elderly, and aged 50.
‘Family Courts in CHT’ Case (2009)
BLAST and Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) filed a writ petition challenging Section 1(2) of the Family Court Ordinance, 1984 which bars applicability of the Family Court Ordinance in three hill districts, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban.
‘Spectrum Sweater Factory Collapse’ Case (2005)
The factory building of Spectrum Sweater Industries Ltd., a nine storied building at Palashbari, Savar, collapsed leaving 69 workers dead and 89 injured. Four injured workers and nine human rights organisations, including BLAST, working collaboratively as the Sramik Nirapatta Forum filed the writ petition impugning the failure of the concerned authorities to discharge their statutory duties and responsibilities relating to building construction, labour safety and welfare.