Raising awareness about law

A 2-day long NILS Bangladesh 1st National Legal Debate Championship was held on October 6-7, 2017 at University of Chittagong with the slogan "Colour your life with law and logic". It was organised by The Network for International Law Students (NILS) Bangladesh Chapter. 

With a view to creating youth for upholding law and justice in the society by developing their argumentative skills, sophisticated knowledge and leadership abilities, the competition hosted around 20 law schools from different parts of Bangladesh. Debate team of Premier University –PUDS (Premier University Debating Society) – was awarded champions while the debate team from State University of Bangladesh emerged as runner-up. 

Farhan Hasan from Eastern University was awarded Debater of the Tournament and Md. Rofiqul Islam Munna was selected as Debater of the Final of the tournament. The prize giving ceremony was graced by the presence of Professor Dr. Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, Vice Chancellor of University of Chittagong as the chief guest. In addition, Moshiur Rahman, Chief Judicial Magistrate of Chittagong and Sayeed Ahsan Khalid, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, University of Chittagong were present as the special guests. The ceremony was presided over by Adviser of NILS Bangladesh, Professor ABM Abu Noman, Dean of the Law Faculty, University of Chittagong. Nasrin Sultana, President of NILS Bangladesh provided the inaugural speech to the distinguished guests and participants. Sheikh Habibur Rahman, Vice President (Competition) and in-charge of NILS Bangladesh 1st National Legal Debate Championship 2017 received the memorandum of NILS Bangladesh from the guests. 

The competition also works as a union of students from legal background within the country connecting with the same network with same minded people. This reflection is found from a participant's views. Asif Tanvir, a student of North South University, expressed, "I feel privileged after participating in such a big unification of law students. It is a glaring example of an event that included the dedication and hospitality of the volunteers as well as their empathy. Here, we became a new family of legal debate". 

Another participant, Rakibul Shanto, stated, "Congratulations to NILS Bangladesh for their successful completion of the first ever law debate in Bangladesh. From food to photography, transportation to accommodation and decoration – the organisers were relentlessly caring." 

From this, a reflection of the success of the event can be easily presumed. The tournament was judged by Chief Adjudicator Shuvro Kumar Pramanik, Ex-President of Stamford Debate Forum; Deputy Chief Adjudicators, namely Mahmudul Hasan Protik, Secretary, Kortali, CUET; Tanvir Ahmed Siddiq, Ex-President, PUDS; Shuvashis Chowdhury, General Secretary, PUDS; Nazmul Hasan Junnun, Ex-Vice President, CUDS; and Kazi Arfat along with other adjudicators from all over Bangladesh. 

The Network for International Law Students is an international, independent, non-political, non-profit organisation which contributes in legal education by NILS Journal, blog, competitions, workshops, seminars, conferences, webinars, residential school programmes, delegation programmes, legal aid activities and other educational activities.