BDCIDS Launches Discourse Series on Bangladesh and International Dispute Settlement

The Bangladesh Centre for International Dispute Settlement (BDCIDS) formally commenced its journey on 17 September, a date chosen to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of Bangladesh’s admission to the United Nations. To mark its inception, BDCIDS launched its Discourse Series with a webinar on “Bangladesh and International Dispute Settlement”, featuring Ashique Rahman, Partner at London-based public international law firm Saadeh Rahman LLP. Durdana Chowdhury moderated the session, while Quazi Omar Foysal introduced the Centre and its activities to the audience.

In his keynote address, Mr Rahman traced Bangladesh’s trajectory in international dispute settlement, from independence and UN membership to its early ratification of the New York Convention and UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and development of its bilateral investment treaty (BIT) network. Referring to disputes from Saipem v Bangladesh (ICSID Case No. ARB/05/07) to the recent S Alam Arbitration, he noted that political transitions and regulatory reforms tend to increase exposure to treaty-based claims.

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Mr Rahman also highlighted Bangladesh’s experience as an international claimant, particularly its maritime boundary cases under UNCLOS, which set an important precedent for peaceful dispute settlement in the Global South. He noted growing opportunities for developing countries, including Bangladesh, to shape international law through advisory proceedings and third-party interventions before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Addressing institutional challenges, Mr Rahman identified fragmentation, weak institutional memory, and limited inter-ministerial coordination. He recommended a specialised national dispute unit alongside capacity-building to develop local legal expertise to overcome such challenges.

The inaugural episode drew students, academics, researchers, and legal practitioners from Bangladesh and abroad. In future, BDCIDS will organise subsequent episodes on Bangladesh’s engagement with the ICJ, maritime disputes, investment arbitration, commercial arbitration, and the Rohingya cases, featuring experts with first-hand experience in these fields.

The event is covered by Durdana Chowdhury, Event Coordinator, BDCIDS.