A 23-member delegation comprising 17 judges and six lawyers is set to visit Japan to participate in an advanced training programme on ensuring access to justice and expanding legal services.

Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the training will be held in Japan from November 1 to 14.

The information was disclosed in a notification issued Wednesday (October 7) by the Planning Branch of the Law and Justice Division under the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

According to the notification, the delegation includes judges, senior officials of the Law and Justice Division, officials of the Supreme Court administration, legal aid officials and lawyers representing district bar associations.

The delegation includes Narsingdi District and Sessions Judge Sheikh Humayun Kabir, Cumilla District and Sessions Judge Md. Hemayet Uddin, Director General of the Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Directorate Md. Manjurul Hossain, Joint Secretary of the Law and Justice Division Md. Masum Billah, Additional Registrar of the High Court Division AHM Toyaha, Special Officer of the High Court Division Md. Mazharul Haque, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Law and Justice Division Md. Saifuddin Hossain, Md. Moinuddin Kadir and Muhammad Ashikur Rahman.

Also included are Assistant Director of the Judicial Administration Training Institute Md. Fariduzzaman, Assistant Director of the Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Directorate Md. Ashrafuzzaman, Cumilla Chief Legal Aid Officer Monika Khan, Barishal Joint District and Sessions Judge Moniruzzaman, Narsingdi Joint District and Sessions Judge Md. Towhid Al Azad, Jhenaidah Senior Civil Judge Anushree Roy, Bogura Civil Judge Md. Rakibul Hasan and Barishal Civil Judge Md. Zahidul Islam.

The lawyers are Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Qayum and Afroza Begum of the Narsingdi District Bar Association, and Ayesha Begum, Sarker Gias Uddin Mahmud and Shahida Anwar of the Cumilla District Bar Association.

The notification said the period of training and travel would be treated as official duty for the participants. JICA will bear all expenses related to the visit, meaning there will be no expenditure from the Bangladesh government in either local or foreign currency.

The delegation is scheduled to leave Bangladesh for Japan on November 1 or at a convenient time around that date and return home on November 14 after completing the training.