LocationsVillage Courts Resolve Cases in 10 Days for 20 Taka
June 3, 2026
Jahidur Rahman Shimul, a small-scale trader in feed and grocery items, is based in Keshabpur Upazila of Jashore district in southwestern Bangladesh. He had been trying for a long time to recover Tk 100,000 (US$815) tied up in a business deal.
When informal mediation failed to resolve the dispute, he approached the village court for a solution. Shimul paid only Tk 20 (US$0.16) to file the case. Including travel and food, his total expense was Tk 180 (US$1.50). Within a short time, he recovered the full amount.
“I never imagined I could get my money back spending so little,” he said. Without the village court, he believes the dispute could have dragged on for years and cost much more.
For many people in rural Jashore, village courts are becoming a reliable source of local dispute resolution, offering decisions close to home at a cost they can afford. Stories like his are becoming increasingly common across Jashore.
In another case in Jashore, Alam Khan from Swaruppur village recovered Tk 40,000 (US$325) through the village court in just 28 days. The entire process cost him only Tk 100 (US$0.81), including travel.
Rabeya Begum from Jhikargacha, Jashore, also found relief through the village court after a dispute involving relatives and neighbours. She was initially referred to there from a district court. The matter was resolved quickly, and she received compensation.
AVCB resolves local disputes in remote areas of Bangladesh
During the phase-III of Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh project, supported by the European Union and the Government of Bangladesh, 2,049 cases were filed in 93 union parishads across Jashore’s eight upazilas between November 2025 and April 2026. Of those, 2,023 were resolved, a success rate of 98.73 per cent. During this period, Tk 1.88 crore (US$153,000) was recovered and returned to claimants. On average, cases were settled within 10 days.
Most complaints involved debt recovery, land disputes, maintenance, and movable property. Village courts also handled minor criminal matters, including theft, fraud, physical altercations, obstruction of movement, and livestock-related disputes. More than 40 per cent of applicants were women.
Local representatives say village courts are reducing pressure on both residents and formal courts. Md. Toiyobur Rahman, chairman of Baghutia Union Parishad in Abhaynagar, said he holds village court twice a week and resolves four to five cases each session, with most settled within 15 days.
For many rural residents, the impact is already clear. With a Tk 20 (US$0.16) filing fee and hearings close to home, village courts are becoming a practical and trusted way to resolve everyday disputes.
This was initially published in Jago News in Bangla. Here is the link to the original news: ২০ টাকায় আবেদন, ১০ দিনে নিষ্পত্তি—আস্থা বাড়াচ্ছে গ্রাম আদালত
Related
content
content
