A long-standing dispute that had remained under judicial proceedings for years has been resolved within just 35 days through the Village Court of Tejkhali Union in Bancharampur Upazila.
Both parties expressed satisfaction with the resolution, saying the Village Court process provided them with judicial relief in a shorter time and at significantly lower cost than prolonged court proceedings.
The dispute involved Md. Jahangir Molla and Shah Alam, paternal cousins and residents of Madhyapara in Bishnurampur village under Tejkhali Union. The two became involved in a dispute over a passageway within their homestead and the construction of a toilet.
At one point, an argument over the issue escalated into a quarrel and physical altercation. Local community leaders were subsequently informed, and attempts were made to resolve the matter through village mediation.
When those efforts failed, a case was filed in court, where the legal proceedings continued for a prolonged period. Later, following an instruction from the Judicial Magistrate in Brahmanbaria, the case was referred to the Village Court of Tejkhali Union Parishad for trial and disposal.
Village Court Chairman Amirul Islam Nayan conducted the proceedings with members nominated by both parties.
The case was ultimately resolved within 35 days. A report on the proceedings was subsequently sent to the relevant authorities for further action.
On Wednesday, September 30, Ashutosh Majumder, Monitoring and Lesson Learning Officer of the Third Phase of the Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh Project, visited Tejkhali Union Parishad to observe the case proceedings and gather information for the project’s annual report.
During the visit, he held discussions with Union Parishad members, reserved women members, local community representatives, teachers and other relevant stakeholders. The visiting team also observed a demonstration session on the procedures followed by the Village Court in handling and resolving disputes.
Later, the team visited the homes of Jahangir Molla, the applicant, and Shah Alam, the respondent, to hear their views directly.
Both parties expressed satisfaction with the Village Court’s judicial process. They said that resolving the dispute through the Village Court had saved them considerable time and financial costs compared with the lengthy legal proceedings they had previously faced.
They also welcomed the opportunity to receive judicial relief within a relatively short period through the local Village Court system.
