Pre-case mediation cuts filings by 62pc: Law Minister

 
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Tuesday said the mandatory pre-case mediation programme has produced encouraging results, with case filings under different laws falling by an average of 62.02 percent in 20 pilot districts compared with the same period of 2025.

He said the initiative, if implemented effectively nationwide, could play a significant role in reducing the country's long-standing case backlog.

The minister made the remarks while virtually inaugurating the mandatory pre-case mediation programme in 10 more districts from the Law Ministry's conference room in Dhaka.

Asaduzzaman said around 4.5 million cases are currently pending across the country, placing a heavy burden on the judicial system. Resolving disputes before cases are filed would save litigants time and money, reduce their suffering and ease pressure on the courts.

He said the pilot programme had led to a sharp decline in new case filings across several categories. Cases under the Family Court Act fell from 3,559 to 1,744, while distribution-related cases under the jurisdiction of Civil Judge Courts dropped from 2,001 to 661.

Pre-emption cases under the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act declined from 17 to two, while cases under the Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act fell from 31 to 14. Cases under the Dowry Prohibition Act dropped from 5,605 to 1,810, and those under the Parental Maintenance Act decreased from 43 to 35.