Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman -File photo

DHAKA, April 28, 2026 (BSS) - Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister 
Md Asaduzzaman today said legal aid services must be made more effective to 
help reduce the backlog of over four million pending cases across the 
country.
 
"We recently came to know that more than four million cases are pending in 
Bangladesh. To reduce this huge backlog, legal aid must be made more 
effective. We want this legal aid programme to reach the doorsteps of every 
citizen in Bangladesh. We want people of this country to regain their right 
to justice," he said.
 
The law minister made the remarks as the chief guest at a discussion 
organised by the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee marking National Legal Aid 
Day-2026 at the Supreme Court auditorium this evening.
 
Referring to the history of legal aid in Bangladesh, the minister said the 
concept was first introduced in 1994 when former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda 
Zia established a fund for poor, helpless and working-class people so that 
they could receive legal assistance.
 
"Standing here in 2026, we want to expand that vision of Begum Khaleda Zia 
even further," he said.
 
Speaking about increasing the judiciary's budget, the minister said he had 
already discussed the matter with the relevant authorities concerned.
 
"Our judiciary needs a larger budget. The total allocation for the judiciary 
is only Taka 2,200 crore. We want improvement in this situation. Additional 
allocation will be necessary to run legal aid services effectively," Md 
Asaduzzaman said.
 
"I want legal aid to inspire hope among the people of Bangladesh, and I want 
to remain with them as a companion in fulfilling that hope," the law minister 
added.
 
Speaking as a special guest, Appellate Division Justice Farah Mahbub 
emphasised the constitutional right of citizens to access justice.
 
Attorney General Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal urged senior lawyers of the 
Supreme Court to come forward in handling legal aid cases and stressed the 
need to increase awareness of legal aid activities at the grassroots level 
across the country.
 
Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Aid Committee and High Court Division 
Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque delivered the welcome speech at the programme.
 
Among others, Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister AM Mahbub 
Uddin Khokon, MP, Supreme Court Registrar General Mohammad Habibur Rahman 
Siddiquee and Director General of the National Legal Aid Services Organisation 
Md Manjurul Hossain,  also spoke at the event.
 
 Judges of the Supreme Court, lawyers, and officials of the Supreme Court 
Legal Aid Committee, among others, attended the programme.