Law Minister Md. Anisul Haque has called for making the country’s legal aid program more effective to reduce the existing backlog of cases. Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion marking National Legal Aid Day 2026 at the Supreme Court Auditorium on Tuesday, he said that justice is a fundamental right and that legal aid services must reach every citizen. The event was organized by the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee.

The minister noted that the concept of legal aid in Bangladesh was first introduced in 1994 when then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia established a fund to support poor and helpless people. He said the government is now working to expand and strengthen that initiative. Referring to the judiciary’s budget, he stated that the current allocation of about Tk 2,200 crore is insufficient and that additional funding is needed to make legal aid activities more dynamic. Discussions are ongoing to increase the allocation in the future.

The event was chaired by Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and attended by judges, lawyers, legal aid officials, and representatives of foreign development partners.