‘Mediation can cut 4.5m-case backlog’
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Saturday said effective mediation could significantly reduce the backlog of around 4.5 million cases pending before courts across Bangladesh.
He described mediation as an effective dispute-resolution mechanism that could ensure faster and more affordable justice while reducing the financial burden and mental distress faced by litigants.
The minister made the remarks as chief guest at the closing ceremony of a two-day programme titled “Basic Mediation Training for Legal Professionals” at the InterContinental Dhaka.
The training was organised under the project “Enhancing Access to Justice through Mediation and Improvement of Civil Case Management”, jointly implemented by the law ministry and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Asaduzzaman said ensuring access to justice for poor, marginalised and disadvantaged people, as well as victims of human rights violations, remained a government priority.
He said the National Legal Aid Services Organization was working to make legal services more accessible to such groups.
The minister said mediators required more than legal knowledge to perform their responsibilities effectively.
“They need humanity, wisdom, patience and the ability to develop solutions based on trust,” he said.
He encouraged the trainees to read the Japanese book Justice with a Smile, saying such literature could help mediators develop a more humane approach to justice.
Addressing the perception that lawyers are often reluctant to settle disputes, Asaduzzaman said legal professionals played an important role in successful mediation and arbitration proceedings both at home and abroad.
He said a positive culture of negotiation-based dispute resolution was developing within the legal profession and should be expanded further.
Under the project, the best-performing female and male mediators will receive advanced training in Japan, according to the minister.
He expressed hope that the opportunity would encourage mediators to work with greater competence, impartiality, transparency and professionalism.
Asaduzzaman thanked the Japanese government, JICA and the other stakeholders involved in the initiative. He also expressed hope that cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan would deepen further and stressed the need for more direct flights between Dhaka and Narita.
Project Director and Additional Secretary Md Khademul Kayes chaired the programme.
JICA Bangladesh Chief Representative Junko Takahashi, Japan’s Ministry of Justice International Cooperation Department Deputy Director-General Kazunori Nose and National Legal Aid Services Organization Director General Md Manjurul Hossain also addressed the event.
A total of 40 district legal aid officers and lawyers practising in district judge courts participated in the training.
The sessions covered the fundamentals of mediation, effective communication, negotiation skills, practical exercises and alternative dispute-resolution procedures.
Professor Masako Miyatake of Keio University Law School served as the principal resource person.
