Dhaka: Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Saturday emphasized the potential of effective mediation in significantly reducing the backlog of approximately 4.5 million cases pending in courts across Bangladesh. He made these remarks at the closing ceremony of the Basic Mediation Training for Legal Professionals programme held at Hotel InterContinental in the capital.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the training session was organized under the project titled Mediation and Civil Case Management System Development to Increase Access to Justice. The minister highlighted that mediation not only saves litigants time and money but also alleviates mental distress, ensuring faster justice delivery.
During his address, Minister Asaduzzaman underscored the government's commitment to providing justice to the poor, marginalized, disadvantaged, and victims of human rights violations. He mentioned that the Bangladesh Legal Aid Department is actively working to bring justice to people's doorsteps.
The minister pointed out that mediators require a blend of legal knowledge, humanity, wisdom, patience, and the ability to build trust between disputing parties. He encouraged participants to read the Japanese book "Justice with a Smile" to develop a more humane approach to dispute resolution.
Addressing a common perception, he stated that while lawyers are often seen as reluctant to encourage settlements, they play a crucial role in successful mediations and arbitrations both domestically and internationally. He noted that a culture of negotiation-based dispute resolution is gradually taking root within the legal profession and should be further strengthened.
Minister Asaduzzaman described mediation as beneficial for all parties involved, contrasting it with the prolonged court proceedings that can span years, draining financial resources and causing mental stress. He advocated for promoting mediation as a primary means of resolving disputes, except in cases involving serious cognizable offences such as murder.
Under the mediation project, the top-performing female and male mediators will receive advanced training in Japan, the minister announced, expressing hope that the initiative would motivate mediators to execute their responsibilities more efficiently, impartially, and professionally.
He expressed gratitude to the Government of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Professor Miyatake Masako of Keio University Law School, and others involved in the project. Additionally, he expressed optimism for continued cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan and emphasized the need for increasing the number of direct flights between Dhaka and Narita.