In a controversial shift in legal policy, women subjected to abuse over dowry demands may no longer be allowed to file criminal cases directly in all instances.
As per a report published in the Bengali news portal Ajker Potrika, under a newly issued ordinance, victims of certain types of abuse must first seek mediation before approaching the courts.
On 1 July 2025, the interim government enacted the Legal Aid Services (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, introducing a provision that makes prior arbitration mandatory for women pursuing justice under specific clauses of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act.
According to the existing Section 11(g) of the Act, if a woman is physically harmed—causing simple hurt—by her husband, in-laws, or anyone acting on their behalf in relation to dowry, the accused can face imprisonment ranging from two to five years, along with a financial penalty.
The newly amended ordinance now requires victims of such offences to submit an application to a designated Legal Aid Officer and undergo arbitration. Only if mediation fails will either party be permitted to initiate legal proceedings.
Legal experts and human rights activists have strongly criticised the move, warning that it could exacerbate the already alarming rates of domestic violence in Bangladesh.
Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Ishrat Hasan said, “This undermines the very spirit of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, enacted in 2000 to offer special protection to women. If survivors of abuse are forced to wait for mediation instead of going directly to court, it will embolden abusers and deny justice to victims.”
She added that the restriction could fuel further domestic violence and destabilise society by creating new barriers to justice for vulnerable women.
Data from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs highlights the severity of the issue. Of the nearly 1.95 million calls received by the national helpline 109 in 2024, around 460,000 were related to domestic violence.
The Ministry’s own sources confirm that half of the complaints made to the helpline each year concern domestic abuse, many of which are linked to dowry demands.
As women’s rights advocates express deep concern over the implications of the ordinance, the coming months may see legal challenges and social resistance, especially as incidents of gender-based violence remain high across the country.
