Reforms Aim to Ensure Justice, Reduce Suffering and Costs : Advisor Dr. Asif Nazrul
Staff Correspondent :
Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Advisor Dr. Asif Nazrul said, “We have introduced legal aid so that people do not have to go to court for minor disputes. With that goal in mind, we have carried out several reforms. These initiatives are still at the pilot stage, but we hope that within the next two to three months, we will be able to expand e-bail bond and online legal aid services across the country.” He added, “Sometimes it feels frustrating that even if we bring reforms in the lower courts, without similar changes in the higher courts, they have little effect. As a result, justice seekers do not benefit. I have learned that many cases resolved in lower courts remain pending for years in the higher courts. For example, in the tragic case of child Achiya’s death, the lower court completed the trial in one month, but we are unsure whether the higher court will be able to dispose of it even in the coming years. Our higher court judges often visit lower courts for inspection, but these visits sometimes turn into pleasure trips.”
Dr. Nazrul made these remarks on Wednesday (October 15) while speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the “E-Bail Bond” program held at the Narayanganj Circuit House premises. He said, “The main goal of our reforms is to ensure justice, reduce the suffering of litigants, and save their expenses.” He further added, “There was a time when Narayanganj was under the control of godfathers, and justice was hard to come by. We want to change that situation. That is why we are beginning a new chapter of justice from Narayanganj. We want to transform Narayanganj from a place of oppression into a place of liberation.” Regarding reforms in the testimony process of government officials, Dr. Nazrul said, “We are introducing online-based testimony to make it faster for government officials such as doctors, magistrates, and police officers to give their statements.”
Also present at the event were Principal Advisor’s Special Assistant Fayez Ahmed Taiyeb,
Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md. Motaher Hossain, District and Sessions Judge of Narayanganj Abu Shamim Azad, Deputy Commissioner Zahidul Islam Miah, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin, among others. To modernize the judicial system and ease the suffering of justice seekers, a digital e-bail bond system has been introduced to replace the traditional manual submission process. This initiative will save time and costs for litigants, prison authorities, and lawyers alike. The program officially began today in Narayanganj, as part of the first phase of its nationwide rollout.