I. The Context of the City: Meeting Justice Needs and Gaps

This session focused on the available access to health and legal services, and access to

information for the citizens in Bangladesh, India and Philippines, as well as the gaps in access

to justice and the needs based on the current context in Bangladesh. The session was chaired

by the Dr. Md. Rahmat Ullah, Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Dhaka. The other

esteemed panellists of this opening session were Sara Hossain, Honorary Executive Director,

BLAST, Dr. Md. Akhtaruzzaman, Vice-Chancellor, University of Dhaka, Dr. Ferdous

Jahan, Professor, Department of Public Administration, University of Dhaka, Faria Ahmad,

Barrister, Consultant, BLAST, Marlon J. Manuel, Senior Advisor, Global Legal

Empowerment Network, NAMATI, Dr. Kamal Hoissain, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of

Bangladesh & H.E. Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom

of Netherlands.

II. Gender and Access to Justice in the City

This session focused on the barriers and opportunities to ensure access to justice, support

mechanisms available for women survivors of violence and challenges, awareness and

information about legal aid services, obstacles of having an economic statues criterion to access

legal aid services in urban areas from both government and non-governmental organisations.

The session was chaired by Justice Nizamul Huq, Chief Legal Advisor, BLAST & Former

Justice, Appellate Division. The other Panellists for this session were Nurun Nahar Nowrin,

Community Paralegal, Abeda Sultana, Deputy Director, National Legal Aid Services

Organization (NLASO), Farida Yasmin, Deputy Commissioner, Vicim Support Centre, haka

Metropolitan Police, Dr. Bilkis Begum, Co-ordinator, One Stop Crisis Center, Ministry of

Women & Children Affairs, Ibrahim Mia, Project Co-ordinator, Madaripur Legal Aid

Association & Dr. Borhan Uddin Khan, Professor, Department of Law, University of Dhaka.

III. Access to Livelihood, Healthcare & Shelter

This session focused on services and opportunities to access healthcare, challenges of accessing

healthcare for the urban poor and emergency patients; opportunities created to enhance

livelihood skills to foster employment; and protection of the right to shelter, in particular for

the urban poor in light of evictions and rehabilitation proposals by the government and their

implementation. Focus was also be given to the challenges in seeking healthcare particularly

for women. The session was chaired by Dr. Sabina Faiz Rashid, Dean and Professor, BRAC

James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University. The other panellists if this session

were Dr. A.S.M Amanullah, Professor in the Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka,

Dr. Julia Ahmed, Freelance Consultant, Dr. Ayesha Afroz Chowdhury, Doctor of Pediatric

Medicine, Gender, NGO & Stakeholder Participation Unit, Ministry of Health. Barrister

Rashna Imam, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Geeta Menon, Secretary, Stree

Jagruti Samiti, Karnataka, India, & Tanay Milind Gandhi, Research Fellow, Center for

Social Justice, Ahmadabad, India.

IV. Rights to Consent & Choice

This session focused on consent and choice with regards to marriage, dissolution and choices

in an individual’s personal life, the impact of personal laws on the right to make such choices,

the role of the media and freedom of expression, and looking at the way this has been combatted

in other countries. The session was chaired by Professor Dr. Md. Muzaherul Huq, Medico

Legal Expert, Vice-President, Indo-Pacific Association of Law, Medicine & Science

(INPALMS). The other panellists from the session were Humaira Aziz, Director of Women

and Girls Empowerment Programme of CARE- Bangladesh, Dr. Gitiara Nasreen, Professor,

Mass Communications and Journalism, university of Dhaka & Dr. Shahnaz Huda, Professor,

Dept. of Law, University of Dhaka.

V. Technology, Innovation, Health & Legal Services

This session focused on technological innovations in recent times, which have enabled the

ambit of service provision to expand online, promote knowledge sharing, network building and

take offline advocacy efforts online to reach a wider audience for greater impact. The session

was chaired by Mujtaba Fidaul Haq, MD & CEO, Shurjo Mukhi Limited. The other panellists

in this session were Dr. Ananya Raihan, Executive Chairperson, D.Net, Jayshree Satpute,

Human Rights Lawyer, Co-founder, Nazdeek, Dr. Shyla Ahmed, Medical Team Leader, Maya

Apa.com, Md. Tabaraka Ullah, Superintendant of Police (In Charge), National Emergency

Service 999, Tasnuva Ahmed, Head of Operations, Colours Fm 101.6, Saila Yesmin,

Research Officer, National Helpline Number-109, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs,

Vashkar Bhattacharya, National Consultant (Accessability) A2I, Prime Minister Office of

Bangladesh, & Shams Jaber, founder, Tech Academy.

VI. Addressing Discrimination in Laws, Polices and Procedure

This session focused on existing discriminatory laws and policies in Bangladesh, ongoing

efforts from the non-governmental organisations to challenge these laws, policies and

procedures, obstacles in achieving successful reforms, as well as efforts to make better use of

laws and policies which exist, such as the Domestic Violence (Protection and Prevention) Act

2010, and share learnings from neighbouring countries. This session was chaired by Nurun

Nahar Osmani, Member, NHRC, former District Judge. The other panellists in the session

were Taslima Yasmin, Assistant Professor, University of Dhaka, Fatama Sultana Suvra,

Assistant Professor, Jagannath University, Dr. Muhammad Ekramul Haque, Professor,

Department of Law, Dhaka University, Fartheeba Rahat Khan, Team Leader, Working with

Women Project, SNV Netherlands Development Organization & Shafiqul Islam, Country

Director, ADD Bangladesh.

VII. Building Networks and Alliances for Greater Impact

This session focused on bringing together regional and national experts, and proposed a way

forward in light of the challenges that emerge from the Conference. This session highlighted

the importance of building greater alliance and networks to work collectively towards a

common goal for great impact. This session was chaired by Maheen Sultan, Member,

Naripokkho. The other panellist of this session were Akhi Akter, Changemaker, Mohakhali,

Shokhi, Shaheen Akhter Dolly, Executive Director, Nari Moitree, Zakir Hossain, CEO,

Nagorik Uddog, Prof. Dr. Srikrishna Rao, Vice Chancellor, National Law University of

Odisha & Marlon J. Manuel, , Senior Advisor, Global Legal Empowerment Network,

NAMATI.

VIII. Closing Session: Access to Justice, Empowerment and Equality

The conference was concluded with a presentation from Dr. Shahnaz Huda, Professor, Dept.

of Law, University of Dhaka, as well as speeches from Prof. Dr Srikrishna Rao, Vice

Chancellor, National Law University of Odisha, Dr. Nasreen Ahmad, Pro-Vice Chancellor

(Academic), University of Dhaka, Hon’ble Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Chief Justice of

Bangladesh. The closing remarks of the conference was given by Dr. Naima Juq, Chairman,

Department of Law, University of Dhaka.