Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed said the government has provided legal aid with money from public exchequer for 48,444 people including women and children during the last four years. The legal aid was provided for 22,718 women, 25,484 men and 242 children through the national legal aid organization during the last four years, he said replying to a tabled question of Jatiya Party lawmaker Nur-e-Hasna Lily Chowdhury.
Some 19,010 civil and criminal cases were settled under the government legal assistance programme during the period, he said.
Barrister Shafique said all the 6,034 detained people who had applied for legal help on government expenditure from January to December 2012 were given legal assistance.
Not only the bailable accused, but also the non-bailable accused including women and children are being provided legal aid, he added.
The minister said a district committee headed by district and sessions judge with general secretary of district Ayeenjibi Samity as member secretary has been formed in each district under the Providing Legal Aid Act-2000.
Legal assistance is being provided through this district committee to the financially insolvent, distressed and poor people, he said.
The minister said the committee headed by Upazila chairman and another committee headed by union parishad chairman are also working to provide legal assistance to the distressed people.
-With The Independent input
