Law Ministry working to settle cases quickly at low cost: Asif Nazrul

Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Saturday (June 14) has said that the Law Ministry is actively working to accelerate case resolution, reduce legal expenses, and ensure broader access to justice.

Speaking at a stakeholder discussion on proposed amendments to the 'Legal Aid Act 2000', the adviser emphasized that reforms to the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) and Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) are also underway to support these goals.

Highlighting the growing burden on the judicial system, he noted that nearly 500,000 cases are filed annually in Bangladesh, but only 35,000 are currently resolved through legal aid services. The ministry aims to increase that number to 200,000, potentially reducing the overall case backlog by 40 percent.

To further strengthen the legal aid system, Asif Nazrul announced that three judges will now be assigned to handle legal aid cases instead of just one—an initiative aimed at expediting justice for marginalized communities.

The discussion was attended by key legal and development stakeholders, including National Legal Aid Services Organization Director Azad Subhani, Dhaka Bar Association President Md. Khorshed Alam, Dhaka District Legal Aid Officer Sayem Khan, as well as representatives from the Chittagong, Narayanganj, and Comilla bar associations. International development partners such as UNDP, GIZ, ILO, BRAC, BLAST, and Proshika were also present.