Dhaka: Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul today expressed optimism that the Legal Aid Services (Second Amendment) Ordinance and other reform initiatives under the ministry's purview will significantly reduce the nationwide case backlog.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Asif Nazrul made these remarks while presiding over a views-exchange meeting on the draft proposal of the Legal Aid Services (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The meeting, held at the Judicial Administration Training Institute's seminar hall, focused on the future direction of legal aid services.
Dr. Asif Nazrul highlighted that the initial reforms have already had a substantial impact, with case disposals doubling in some regions. He emphasized a strategic plan to transform the Legal Aid initiative into a directorate, which could potentially resolve one-fourth of all court cases through Legal Aid, thus easing the court's workload by a similar proportion.
He further explained the procedural efficiencies introduced by the reforms. Oral petitions and written statements, previously taking up to three years, are now submitted via affidavits, saving nearly two years per civil case. The elimination of separate case filings for decree execution in land disputes also cuts down time by three to five years.
The Law Adviser urged a focus on acknowledging achievements rather than lamenting unaddressed issues. He noted that 70 to 80 percent of the Judicial Reform Commission's proposals have been implemented, encouraging recognition of these accomplishments while continuing to address remaining challenges.
On broader constitutional reforms, Dr. Asif Nazrul advocated for a cultural and mindset shift beyond written constitutional changes, stressing the necessity of evolving political and personal attitudes for genuine progress.
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of sustained reform efforts and urged future governments to maintain and advance these initiatives to bolster the legal system. The event was attended by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, and senior officials from the Law Ministry and Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission.