'Legal Aid Corner' at Ctg jail: A beacon of hope for long-term detainees

• Facility provides free legal services to those detained without trial for years
• 122 inmates got its service in just one month, highlighting dire need for legal aid in prisons
• Dedicated team ensures continuous access to lawyers 
• Initiative praised as significant advancement in judicial reform efforts

The Chattogram District Legal Aid Office recently introduced a dedicated "Legal Aid Corner" at Chattogram Central Jail, the first of its kind in Bangladesh's prisons.

The facility aims to address the plight of prisoners held without trial for extended periods, offering them hope and a chance at legal representation.

Since its ceremonial inauguration on 18 November, the Legal Aid Corner has attended to 122 inmates in just one month, most of whom were previously deprived of legal services.

Operating with a dedicated team of eight prison guards, each assigned to specific wards, the facility ensures that inmates have continuous access to free legal services throughout the day.

This innovative initiative has been lauded by legal experts and human rights activists, signifying a noteworthy advancement in Bangladesh's ongoing judicial reform efforts.

Mohammad Anwar, a young man detained without trial for five years, is one compelling success story that highlights the impact of the Legal Aid Corner. 

The Legal Aid Corner is getting a very positive response from the prisoners. We hope that the model will be implemented in all the jails in the country.

Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil, Chattogram District legal aid officer

Anwar, nicknamed "Malinga" due to his resemblance to Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga, was arrested on theft charges in 2019 at the age of 18.

With no legal representation and estranged from his family, Anwar spent five years seemingly forgotten in Chattogram Central Jail. However, the introduction of the Legal Aid Corner breathed new life into his case.

Following Anwar's application for assistance, Advocate AKM Shahidul Islam Patwari, assigned as his lawyer, swiftly identified the young man's innocence. Patwari's intervention led to Anwar's release on bail on 27 November.

Anwar is now on the path to rebuilding his life, learning to drive a human hauler and aiming to reintegrate into society.

Another moving case involves 75-year-old Mohammad Jahangir Alam, imprisoned for almost three and a half years on charges of torturing women and children. Despite having adult children, Jahangir received no attention, and no one applied for bail on his behalf.

Legal Aid, represented by Advocate AKM Shahidul Islam Patwari, intervened, resulting in Jahangir's release on bail at the end of November. 

Chattogram District Legal Aid Officer and Senior Joint Judge Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil shed light on the dire circumstances that force many individuals into long-term detention due to poverty, helplessness, and a lack of guardians.

He said that these prisoners have the right to legal aid and the newly established Legal Aid Corner has been introduced to ensure their rights. 

"The Legal Aid Corner is getting a very positive response from the prisoners. We hope that the model will be implemented in all the jails in the country," he added.

Assistant Legal Aid Officer Ershadul Islam shared that within a month, 122 inmates applied for legal aid, each receiving dedicated legal representation. He underscored the office's broader efforts, assisting 1,490 indigent justice candidates using government funds.

During this period, 963 applications for dispute resolution were received, with 742 cases successfully resolved through alternative dispute resolution, resulting in victims receiving compensation totalling Tk10,090,000.

Advocate Zia Habib Ahsan, secretary general of the Bangladesh Human Rights Foundation, welcomed the establishment of the Legal Aid Corner in Chattogram Central Jail.

He said that citizens have a constitutional right to legal services and praised the initiative to provide legal services to inmates who have been imprisoned without trial for long periods.

Zia Habib also underscored the need for extensive publicity and campaigns to raise awareness about the availability of free legal services, especially in remote areas.

He argued that marginalised individuals would benefit significantly from legal aid services if promoted through public representatives in such regions.