CSGJ Organises the First Ever Special Workshop on International Law and Justice

Center for the Study of Genocide and Justice (CSGJ) under the Liberation War Museum organised the first ever special workshop on International Law and Justice from 15-16 March 2023. The workshop was specifically tailored for final year bachelor or master's students from any discipline who have a special interest in international law and justice system.

Mofidul Hoque, Director of the CSGJ and one of the founding trustees of Liberation War Museum (LWM) and Mr. Miah Md. Mainul Kabir, Director General (Myanmar Wing) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh were present in the workshop as the guests of honour.

Kawser Ahmed, Advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Member at the National Human Rights Commission; Quazi Omar Foysal, Lecturer in Law at the American International University-Bangladesh; and Emraan Azad, Assistant Professor in Law at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), facilitated the workshop as the main resource persons of the two day-long workshop.

Mofidul Hoque voiced that considering Bangladesh's history of experiencing genocide during the 1971 Liberation War, it is high time the Bangladeshi youth start engaging with the international law and justice system, particularly international criminal justice system. He expressed his regret on how Bangladesh is still barely represented in different international legal forum such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) which in his opinion makes it imperative for today's youth to study and emerge as experts in this area and be the torch bearer of justice in the international community. He highlighted the different opportunities this workshop the CSGJ is creating for its volunteers to become engaged with international law and expressed his hope that everyone will seize these opportunities to advance their career in this field.

During the two-day workshop, unlike traditional classroom lectures, the resource persons followed a unique method of teaching where instead of teaching specific course materials, they focused on discussing pertinent unresolved issues of international law currently being debated in the international community. Some of the major topics discussed during the workshop includes the definition of international law, its sources, subjects of international law, responsibility of States as well as individuals under international law, human rights mechanisms as well as the relationship between international law and domestic law. Two crucial international courts: International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC) were given particular emphasis during the sessions.

Another salient feature of the sessions was the massive participation of international law enthusiast students in the discussions. The participants actively asked questions during the sessions and brainstormed about the possible solutions to the issues the resource persons were presenting them with. After each session, the participants were required to take part in a group work and then present their findings in front of the audiences. The workshop was concluded by the closing speech of Mr. Miah Md. Mainul Kabir who shared his experience regarding practicing international law as a diplomat followed by a certificate giving ceremony.

Event covered by Mehjabin Nazrana, Research Assistant, Center for the Study of Genocide and Justice (CSGJ).