Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman said Bangladesh is working to strengthen alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, to reduce court case backlogs. He spoke on July 30 at the Secretariat during the signing of two separate memorandums of understanding between the Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Directorate and the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust, or BLAST, and BRAC’s Social Empowerment and Legal Protection programme. He said the partnerships would curb new case filings and provide faster, effective services to justice seekers.

The minister said legal aid activities began in Bangladesh through an administrative order in 1994 and gained an institutional basis through legislation in 2000. He said the government alone cannot resolve case backlogs and needs the experience of organisations working with marginalised communities and mediation. A recent review found that new cases under certain laws in 20 districts fell by more than 62 percent from March to May 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Under the BLAST agreement, court paralegals will be appointed on a pilot basis in Dhaka, Gazipur and Chattogram to provide legal support to workers. The BRAC agreement covers mediator training, certification, legal recognition of successful mediations, reports for failed mediations and joint monitoring. The government is also considering amendments to the Transfer of Property Act.