Village court sits every Tuesday, resolving minor disputes before they escalate
Farmer Jamir Uddin became involved in a dispute over the cultivation of mortgaged land. Attempts to resolve the matter within the family failed, prompting him to seek assistance from the village court at the Union Parishad (UP). After hearing statements from both sides, the court took steps to settle the dispute.
Jamir Uddin, 42, a resident of South Amoin village in Kusumbi Union of Sherpur upazila in Bogura, expressed relief after the matter was resolved through the village court.
He said, “After I approached the village court, it heard both sides and settled the issue. This reduced both my time and the harassment involved.”
Like Jamir Uddin, many local residents have been finding solutions to minor disputes through village courts.
Village courts convene every Tuesday in all 10 unions of Sherpur upazila, hearing cases involving land disputes, unpaid debts, family conflicts and minor assault allegations.
A visit to the Kusumbi Union Parishad office at around 2:30 pm on Tuesday (1 September) showed eight people, including both men and women, seeking justice from different villages.
Witnesses from both sides also attended. Some waited for hearings, while others hoped for a verdict or settlement. Local residents gathered to observe the proceedings.
Aduri Khatun, 40, from Kusumbi Union, was waiting outside the village court. She said that she had purchased two and a quarter decimals of land around seven years ago, but another co-owner later sold the same land to someone else.
She brought the matter to the village court and was pleased when the decision went in her favour after both parties presented their arguments.
Sultan Pramanik, 55, from Uttar Pechul village, attended a hearing over a dispute concerning three decimals of land belonging to a family graveyard. His elder brother was the opposing party.
Meanwhile, Abeda Khatun, 50, from Soldhukri village in Shahjahanpur upazila of Bogura, brought a complaint regarding a family dispute involving her in-laws. Her in-laws live in Uttar Amoin village under Kusumbi Union.
A visit to Khamarkandi Union Parishad at around 1:00 pm also found village court proceedings in progress.
Mazedur Rahman, acting chairman of Khamarkandi Union Parishad, told Prothom Alo, “A five-member panel, including the UP chairman, conducts the village court proceedings. The panel includes two UP members and two respected individuals nominated by each party. In August, we received four cases in our union and resolved three of them. On Tuesday, we also settled a land dispute after hearing both sides.”
Tabibur Rahman, chairman of Garidah Union Parishad, said, “Our union received seven cases last month, and we resolved two of them.”
According to sources at the office of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), village courts in Sherpur’s 10 unions considered a total of 88 complaints in August, of which 48 were resolved.
Sherpur upazila nirbahi officer Md Saiduzzaman Himu said, “Village courts sit every Tuesday in the union parishads across the upazila. Local residents are getting the opportunity to resolve minor disputes close to home. We regularly monitor the activities to keep the village courts functioning effectively.”
Discussions with UP chairmen and other relevant individuals revealed that most cases brought before village courts involve land disputes, family conflicts, minor assaults and claims for unpaid money. The courts hear both parties and verify the facts locally before taking initiatives to resolve disputes.
Abdul Hamid, 60, from Kusumbi area, and Abdus Salam of Khamarkandi Union, along with several other local residents, said that access to justice near their homes has reduced public suffering.
They added that resolving minor disputes early also lowers the risk of prolonged conflicts or the escalation of disputes into more serious confrontations.