With over 2.4 million cases pending in the courts, as of the end of last year, and complex court procedures, foreign companies and investors feel unprotected and discouraged to enter into commercial deals with Bangladesh, law minister Shafique Ahmed said on Wednesday.
‘There is no end to litigation. If the objective is to settle the dispute, the option is alternate dispute resolution,’ he observed.
He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of Training of Trainers on Arbitration organised by Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre in collaboration with International Law Institute, Washington DC. The programme was supported by International Finance Corporation.
‘With conclusion of Training of Trainers on Arbitration by BIAC, Bangladesh goes a definite step toward institutionalising arbitration in the country,’ said the minister.
‘The government has already made substantive amendments in some of our major acts like Civil Procedure Code and Artha Rin Adalat Ain making mediation mandatory. They are now considering amending our criminal laws making relevant sections in those acts amenable to ADR,’ he added.
He lauded the role of the BIAC for promoting the cause of ADR in the country.
BIAC Council chairman Mahbubur Rahman, who is also the president of International Chamber of Commerce-Bangladesh, BIAC chief executive Toufiq Ali, IFC representative Masrur Reaz and trainer from ILI Washington DC David Branson also spoke on the occasion.
-With New Age input
