Stakeholders have been asked to submit written recommendations within 10 days as the government prepares to revise the draft law for parliamentary consideration in January.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman speaking at the inauguration of the e-Family Appeals Court in the conference room of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court on Thursday (29 October). Photo: TBS
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Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman speaking at the inauguration of the e-Family Appeals Court in the conference room of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court on Thursday (29 October). Photo: TBS
Law – Dhaka
TBS Report
Law Minister Asaduzzaman has called for recommendations from stakeholders to modernise the Commercial Courts Act to help attract foreign investment and ensure faster resolution of commercial disputes, with the government aiming to place the revised law before parliament in January.
He made the remarks at a stakeholder consultation on reforming the law at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka yesterday.
The minister said the existing law had several shortcomings and might not adequately address foreign investors’ problems, including disputes with local partners, criminal cases filed by workers and VAT-related complications. Some provisions, including those relating to arbitration, also needed reconsideration, he said.
He said the government was working to simplify investment approvals through a coordinated system that would reduce the process from at least six months to a few days.
The proposed commercial courts would initially be established in divisional cities, with plans for three in Dhaka and two in Chattogram. The limited number of courts would help build specialised expertise, he said.
The government would also consider provisions concerning criminal cases and arrest warrants against foreign investors while revising the law. The minister urged stakeholders to submit written recommendations within 10 days so the draft could be refined before the next consultation.
The consultation was jointly organised by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangladesh.
A preliminary draft titled the Commercial Courts Act, 2027, was presented at the meeting, where participants discussed their experience in resolving commercial disputes and shared institutional assessments.
Attorney General Barrister Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Law and Justice Division Secretary Md Liakat Ali Mollah, UNDP Bangladesh Resident Representative Stephen L Rodriguez, European Union delegation Head of International Partnerships Michal Krejza, Canadian High Commission Political Counsellor Marcus Davis and Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen also spoke at the event.
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