Certificate Award Ceremony of Human Rights Law Clinic at UMSAILS

The Certificate Award Ceremony of the Human Rights Law Clinic (HRLC) at the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (UMSAILS) was held on 10 April 2013 at UMSAILS’ conference room.  

Eminent Jurist and the Chairperson of the Governing Council of UMSAILS, Dr. Kamal Hossain distributed certificates as the Guest of Honour among 13 Volunteers of the programme. They are Law Students from various institutions in Dhaka.  

In his speech, Dr. Hossain said that ethical lawyering is vital for promoting and ensuring Rule of Law in the country.

Dr. Hossain is also the Chairperson of Bangladesh Chapter of the South Asia Foundation (SAF). The SAF, which was founded by renowned Philanthropist Ambassador Madanjeet Singh, is the sponsor of UMSAILS.  

Speaking to young Law Students, Dr. Hossain said that Law is an instrument for social change. Therefore, Curriculum for Legal Education should have social connections, so that students could have exposures in that regard.
Underlining on needs of introducing Clinical Legal Education in the country, he said that Bangladesh Bar Council and Bar Associations have pivotal roles in this regard. He continued on saying that Ethics and Professional Code of Conduct are must in the legal curriculum.  
According to Dr. Hossain, it is high time to look into what are requirements and demands of the time given the emerging global context of legal profession, and what students do want. The legal education should be reformed in that line.

He said that Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), which is to mark 20 years this year, was established with an aim to provide opportunities for fresh law graduates to be engaged in legal and judicial services and activism up to the grassroots levels. He, in the speech, also remembered contributions of late Dr. Mohiuddin Farooque for promoting the concept of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Bangladesh through legal and judicial activism and in establishing the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).
Dr. Hossain has completed 54 years in legal profession this year, which also include eight years of teaching as an Adjunct Faculty in the Department of International Relations and the Department of Law at the University of Dhaka.

Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of the University of Asia Pacific and Vice Chairperson of SAF Bangladesh Chapter, Advocate Z. I. Khan, Member of the Board of Trustees of BLAST, and Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Dhaka International University addressed the function.

Victoria Chakma and Emraan Azad who are Students of Law at the University of Dhaka and graduated Volunteers shared their views on the programme.

Dr. Uttam Kumar Das, a Human Rights Lawyer and Honorary Director of the HRLC moderated the session.
The HRLC, first of its kind in Bangladesh, is to provide a platform for training, mentoring and practices for Students-Volunteers. The areas of focus are analysis, research and writing, pro bono human rights works and legal services, legal and judicial activism among other issues.

There are 20 Volunteers in the 2nd Batch (January-June 2013). #  

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