Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has expressed optimism that the Legal Aid Services (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, along with other ongoing reform initiatives, will significantly reduce the backlog of cases in courts across the country.

"If the legal changes we have made are properly implemented, then one-fourth of all cases filed in court can be disposed of through legal aid," he said, speaking at a views-exchange meeting on the draft ordinance at the Judicial Administration Training Institute in Dhaka today.

Presiding over the event, Prof Nazrul said the first major reform was ensuring the effective operation of legal aid services, which has already led to a twofold increase in case disposal in many areas. "Our future plan is to transform this into a directorate," he added.

He highlighted several procedural improvements, including the shift from oral petitions to affidavit-based submissions in civil cases, which he said now saves nearly two years per case.

"Earlier, separate cases had to be filed for decree execution in land-related disputes, which took another three to five years. That time is no longer required," he noted.

Prof Nazrul urged stakeholders to focus on consolidating the reforms already achieved.

Addressing criticism of the reform process, he said, "Many people make various allegations. However, 70 to 80 percent of the proposals made by the Judicial Reform Commission have already been implemented. So, if some continue to complain about the remaining 25 or 30 percent, it's not a problem."

He also acknowledged the efforts of officials in the Ministry of Law and the Attorney General's Office, saying they were "working day and night" to implement the reforms.

On the broader question of constitutional reform, Dr Nazrul said, "Reforms should not be confined only to the Constitution. We need to change our mindset. Some people believe that everything will be solved once something is written in the Constitution -- but unless we change our political culture and ourselves, nothing will truly change."

Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman attended the programme as special guests.