Access to Justice through District Legal Aid Office (DLAO): Addressing Barriers of the Informal Justice System in Bangladesh

Access to justice enables individuals, to challenge discrimination, protect their rights, resolve disputes, and demand accountability from authorities. The formidable barriers within the formal legal system in Bangladesh often restrict access for the marginalized and disadvantaged groups, prompting them to turn to informal systems for dispute resolution. However, different institutional, socio-economic, and socio-cultural barriers impede their pursuit of justice within the informal system as well. In 2014, government of Bangladesh issued a gazette notification allowing the District Legal Aid Office (DLAO) to resolve disputes through ADR mediation. With a qualitative approach, this study explores whether DLAO has been able to address the barriers of the informal justice systems and improve access to justice for all. This study found that DLAO has been most successful in overcoming the institutional barriers within informal justice systems by effectively addressing marginalization of women’s voices, corruption, and lack of accountability through equitable, collaborative mediation. The persistent fear of reprisal and limited legal awareness among the public indicates DLAO’s effectiveness in overcoming socio-cultural barriers remains comparatively low. Additionally, this study suggests that DLAO has moderate effectiveness in tackling socio-economic barriers. If existing challenges of DLAO can be addressed, this model of justice delivery could significantly enhance access to justice, especially for women and the underprivileged in developing countries like Bangladesh.