DHAKA, March 4, 2025 (BSS) – Around 124,808 prisoners got legal assistance at the government expenses through National Legal Aid Services (NLAS), according to a report published on the organization’s official website.
 
The report, which details the legal aid provided from 2009 to January 2025, highlights that the service initially launched at the district level has been expanded to include labor assistance cells in the Supreme Court, Dhaka, and Chittagong, as well as in prisons across the country.
 
During this period, a total of 1,168,947 people received legal assistance under the organization’s initiatives," the report stated. "Of the total, 124,808 prisoners have benefited from government-funded legal aid.
 
The report also outlined that 464,934 legal consultation services were provided to individuals. These services included 28,611 recipients through the Supreme Court Legal Aid Office, 927,525 through the Legal Aid Offices in all 64 districts, 29,075 through the Dhaka and Chittagong Workers' Legal Aid Cells, and 183,736 via the National Legal Aid Organization's dedicated hotline call center at 16430 (toll-free).
 
The legal aid initiative was created under the 'Legal Aid Act' with the aim of assisting financially disadvantaged and incapacitated individuals in their pursuit of justice in the country. Before the establishment of the national helpline, 17,328 people were provided legal services through the hotline at government expense.
 
The activities of the National Legal Aid Organization are conducted under the Law and Justice Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs.