Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ লিগ্যাল এইড এ্যান্ড সার্ভিসেস ট্রাস্ট) is one of the largest legal aid organization in Bangladesh.[1][2] The trust provides legal aid, a mediation center, legal advocacy, and files public interest legislation.[3][4] The organization's headquarter is in Dhaka with 19 field offices.[3] Sara Hossain is the Executive Director of the Trust.[5]

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust
Formation1993
HeadquartersDhaka, Bangladesh
Region served
Bangladesh
Official language
Bengali
Websitewww.blast.org.bd

History

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust was established in 1993 following a conference of Bangladesh Bar Council in 1992.[3]

In 2003, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust filed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the Gram Sarker Act which was scrapped by the Caretaker Government in 2008.[6][7]

In 2011, Ain o Salish Kendra and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust were able to successfully petition the courts to ban corporal punishment in educational institutions in Bangladesh.[8]

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust filed a public interest legislation along with Naripokkho, Manusher Jonno Foundation, and BRAC Human Rights and Legal Aid Services challenging the legality and constitutionality of Bangladeshi law only identifying women as rape victims.[9]

In April 2022, the Canadian High Commission in Dhaka requested Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust and Ain O Salish Kendra to provide legal aid to a 19 year old Canadian woman who was being prevented from her leaving Bangladesh by her family.[10] Sara Hossain and ZI Khan Panna moved a petition on behalf of the two organization to the High Court Division which ordered the woman to stay with her parents while ordering the parents to return her communication devices during the trial period.[10]

Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust called for the release of a school teacher who had been arrested for hurting religious sentiments after saying science was based on evidence while religion was based on faith.[11] Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, and Nari Pakkho filed a petition challenging the use of character evidence to discredit the victim in rape cases.[12] Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust along with the law department of the University of Dhaka and the Death Penalty Project found 72 percent of those sentenced to death in Bangladesh were poor.[13]

Board of Trustee

References
  1. Afp (2022-03-15). "Bangladesh to ban 'immoral character' evidence in rape cases". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  2. Express, The Financial. "BLAST demands proper investigation into Jhalakathi launch fire incident". The Financial Express. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  3. blastadmin. "HISTORY". BLAST’s mission is to make the legal system accessible to the poor and the marginalized. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  4. "BLAST demands public hearing on Anti-Discrimination Bill". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  5. "Political will needed to enforce law against discrimination: discussion". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  6. "Law & Our Rights". www.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  7. Unb, Dhaka (2008-04-21). "Gram Sarkar abolished". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  8. Khandaker Farzana Rahman (2014-05-13). "Prohibiting corporal punishment in educational institutions". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  9. "HC questions law treating only female as rape victim". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
  10. Report, Star Digital (2022-04-10). "Parents should not impose anything forcefully on children: HC". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  11. Report, Star (2022-04-10). "Teacher in jail: Call for his release gets louder". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  12. "Rape victim's character not to be questioned". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  13. "72pc of death sentence recipients poor". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
  14. "BOARD OF TRUSTEES". BLAST’s mission is to make the legal system accessible to the poor and the marginalized. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
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