The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has organised a two-day basic mediation training programme for legal professionals to strengthen Bangladesh’s newly established Special Mediator system, aiming to improve access to justice and reduce the growing backlog of court cases.
The training, held on July 31 and August 1 at InterContinental Dhaka in collaboration with the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, brought together around 40 participants, including Special Mediators, Legal Aid Officers and officials from the ministry, the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid (DBLA), the Judicial Administration Training Institute (JATI) and the Supreme Court.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Liaquet Ali Molla inaugurated the programme, stressing the need to strengthen mediation services to ensure quicker and more accessible justice for citizens.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Saturday, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said mediation had become an effective, accessible and people centred mechanism for resolving disputes outside lengthy court proceedings.
He expressed hope that the newly introduced Special Mediator system would help reduce case backlogs and improve access to justice across the country.
The minister also urged the participants to apply the knowledge and practical skills gained through the training in their professional work and play an active role in promoting mediation nationwide.
JICA Bangladesh Chief Representative Takahashi Junko attended the closing ceremony as the special guest.
The training was facilitated by Japanese mediation expert Professor Miyatake Masako and included lectures alongside practical exercises covering mediation principles, communication and negotiation techniques, mediator ethics and role play based mock mediation sessions.
According to JICA, the programme is part of its Development of Mediation and Civil Litigation Practices for Enhancement of Access to Justice Project, under which it has been supporting the government to promote mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
Since April 2025, the project has implemented a pilot initiative in Narsingdi and Cumilla, where a total of 44 lawyer mediators were trained at District Legal Aid Offices.
The initiative helped resolve 898 disputes through mediation by April 2026, demonstrating the effectiveness of the lawyer mediator model, JICA said.
Based on the pilot’s success, the amended Legal Aid Services Act introduced the Special Mediator system, institutionalising the model developed under the project.
JICA said it is now working closely with the Directorate of Bangladesh Legal Aid and other relevant institutions to ensure the effective implementation of the new system through capacity building, technical support and the sharing of Japan’s experience in mediation.
The agency said the latest training marked an important step towards improving the quality of mediation services and ensuring faster resolution of civil and family disputes across Bangladesh.
JICA also announced plans to organise an advanced mediation training programme later this year to further strengthen the professional capacity of Special Mediators and support the sustainable implementation of the new system.