The government is strengthening partnerships with non-governmental organisations to expand Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in a bid to reduce the growing backlog of court cases and ensure faster access to justice, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said on Thursday.
Speaking as the chief guest at separate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremonies between the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid (DBLA), the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), and BRAC’s Social Empowerment and Legal Protection (SELP) programme at the Secretariat, the minister said the initiative would help curb the filing of new cases while providing litigants with quicker and more effective legal services.
He said legal aid services in Bangladesh began through an administrative order in 1994 before being institutionalised under legislation in 2000. The government has since been working to modernise the legal framework and make it more effective and people-friendly.
“The government alone cannot eliminate the case backlog,” the minister said, adding that the expertise of NGOs with long-standing experience in mediation and serving marginalised communities would be utilised to strengthen ADR.
Citing a recent review, Asaduzzaman said the number of new cases filed under certain laws in 20 districts between March and May this year fell by more than 62% compared with the same period in 2025, describing it as a positive outcome of ADR initiatives.
He urged the judiciary to encourage the settlement of suitable disputes through mediation, saying it would significantly ease the burden on the courts. He also said the government was prepared to introduce further legal reforms if necessary.
The minister announced that private partners would be involved in the activities of district legal aid committees to facilitate the mediation of cases already pending before the courts.
He said the government would positively consider practical proposals for legal reform or research aimed at reducing case congestion.
As part of broader legal reforms, he said amendments to the Transfer of Property Act were under consideration. The proposed changes would allow parents to transfer property during their lifetime while retaining their right to enjoy and possess it, a move expected to reduce family disputes and unnecessary civil litigation.
Reaffirming that legal aid is a fundamental right, Asaduzzaman said the government was expanding legal aid services to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent anyone from accessing justice.
He also emphasised the importance of support from the media, development partners and civil society organisations.
Under the MoU with BLAST, court paralegals will be appointed on a pilot basis in Dhaka, Gazipur and Chattogram to provide legal assistance to workers. The agreement also provides for legal recognition of successful mediations conducted by BLAST and the issuance of certificates enabling parties to file court cases where mediation fails.
The agreement with BRAC’s SELP programme includes the training and certification of professional mediators, legal recognition of successful mediation outcomes, reporting on unsuccessful mediation efforts and joint monitoring activities, with the aim of making Bangladesh’s ADR system more institutionalised and sustainable.
Comment
Design & Developed by: BD IT HOST
|
1 Augustust, 2026 
