Mst. Morzina Begum (40), a resident of Angulia village in Sukhpukuria Union under Chougacha, Jashore, found herself in a prolonged dispute over leased land payments. Six years ago, her neighbor Md. Matiar Rahman (55) verbally leased 16 decimals of her agricultural land for an annual payment of BDT 11,000. However, after the agreement, he failed to pay any amount except for a nominal BDT 1,000 over the six years, despite repeated reminders from her.
On March 26, 2024, she visited Matiar’s house to demand the total dues of BDT 65,000. To her shock, he not only refused to pay but outright denied the existence of any contract. Feeling helpless, she sought assistance from the local ward member, who attempted to mediate the matter but was unsuccessful.
Unsure of what to do, she was looking for further support. Right then, she came to know about WAVE Foundation, which has been working to raise awareness about access to justice through its “Activating Village Courts in Bangladesh” (AVCB) project. With their guidance, she learned about her right to seek legal recourse. Encouraged by WAVE’s support, she decided to take action.
On April 16, 2024, with guidance from WAVE, she lodged a civil case with the Sukhpukuria Union Parishad Village Court by paying a nominal fee of BDT 20. The Union Parishad Chairman, under Rule 31 of the Village Courts Rules, accepted the case. Within just two weeks, on April 30, 2024, the Village Court resolved the matter, ordering Matiar to pay the full amount of BDT 65,000 owed to her. The amount was recovered and handed over to her promptly.
Expressing her satisfaction, she shared, “I am very happy to get my contract money of BDT 65,000 through the Village Court within seven days. I only spent BDT 50, including fees and transportation costs. I didn’t know about the Village Court before, or I could have resolved this issue earlier. It is an excellent system that provides justice locally with minimal cost, time, and hassle.”
Morzina plans to use the recovered money to buy a cow to support her family. She emphasized that she holds no grudge against Matiar and is relieved the matter has been peacefully resolved.
