Dhaka: Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul today inaugurated the National Legal Aid Fair and road show, marking an important step in enhancing legal aid services across the country. The event, organized by the Bangladesh National Legal Aid Services Organization (BNLASO) with technical support from German development agency GIZ, commemorated ‘National Legal Aid Day-2025’.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the fair aims to provide legal aid services and raise awareness about legal aid and its related activities among the public. During his address at the inaugural function held at Osmani Smriti Auditorium, Dr. Nazrul emphasized the significance of legal aid as a method for dispute resolution. He stated, “We are dreaming large about legal aid and thinking differently to take forward the process. We have held meetings with legal aid offices and judicial officers to take this sector forward.”
Dr. Nazrul highlighted that approximately five lakh lawsuits are filed annually in Bangladesh, with about 35,000 cases resolved through the legal aid process. He further mentioned that if legal aid can be extended to two lakh cases, it could reduce the burden on judicial courts by around 40 percent, significantly alleviating human suffering.
The function was moderated by Senior Judicial Magistrate and Assistant Director (Monitoring) of the National Legal Aid Organization, Arifa Chowdhury Himel. Distinguished guests included Law Secretary Sheikh Abu Taher, German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Tr¶ster, Registrar General of the Supreme Court Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan, and Director of BNLASO Syed Azad Subhani, among others.
The event also recognized outstanding contributions in the field of legal aid. Advocate Fazlul Haque, founder and secretary of Madaripur Legal Aid Association, was honored, while Advocate Pallabi Roy received the ‘Best Legal Aid Panel Lawyer Award, 2024’, and Md. Bulbul Ahmed, Jhenaidah District Legal Aid Officer, received the ‘Best Legal Aid Officer Award, 2024’.
Prominent organizations such as Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, GIZ Bangladesh, Proshika, Brack, Friendship, Bondhu Social Welfare, RDRS Bangladesh, and Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers’ Association participated in the fair, highlighting the collaborative effort to enhance legal aid services in Bangladesh.