Abstract

The existence of the idea of free legal aid is not new. Chronological development of legal aid followed different arrangements and bodies based on socio-economic conditions of the state which diverges with time. Though the concept of legal aid varies from country to country reliant on socio-economic, political and legal background but some common features remain to be recognized in every system. It is important to make a transitory analysis about the development of legal aid laws and scheme of the world in welfare states perspective. This study is an attempt to present a glimpse on selected countries incorporated free legal aid provisions in their national laws. The objective of this researchis to focus on the historical development and evolution process of free legal aid laws in the context of welfare states and also to observe the background of legal aid system in Bangladesh. The study therefore underscored the necessity of free legal aid for protecting and promoting the democratic values in a society and concludes that the notions of legal aid in welfare states are somehow similar, specially depends on state oriented legal structure.