Bangladesh Legal aid service Trust (BLAST)

BLAST was established in 1993 as a free legal services organisation with a Board of Trustees comprising eminent jurists, lawyers, and former/sitting judges of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.  BLAST now has 20 district offices, four university law clinics, 15 community based hubs and one law clinic in slum areas at Dhaka in addition to the head office in Dhaka. BLAST works with a network of 2600 plus lawyers.  It operates at the frontlines of the legal system, from the magistrates’ courts right up to the Supreme Court. It is the only legal services group to provide advice and assistance in criminal, family, civil, land and constitutional law matters. When founded, BLAST focused on providing legal aid, but it soon broadened its mandate to include alternative dispute resolution, public interest litigation, and legislative advocacy, providing a comprehensive approach to justice for marginalized and vulnerable persons. BLAST has undertaken significant public interest litigation on criminal justice, economic and social rights and equality issues. BLAST’s most recent work includes strategic litigation regarding extrajudicial killings, women’s rights including to freedom from ill-treatment through extra-judicial penalties, rights of persons with disabilities to freedom from discrimination in public employment, ending corporal punishment of children in educational institutions, prohibiting the ‘two finger test as an obstacle to justice for rape survivors.

 

Organisational and Communication Focal Person for the SDG Platform

Mr Mostafa Zamil
Director, Programmes
E-mail: zamil@blast.org.bd

 

Contact:

Mailing Address: YMCA Development Center, 1/1 Pioneer Road, Kakrail, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Phone: 9564354, 9552946, 8391970-2
Fax: +88 (02) 8391973
Email:  mail@blast.org.bd
Social Media: Facebook
Website: www.blast.org.bd