Eastern University wins the Bangladesh National Round, Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2018 and BRAC University ended up as the Runner-up. Romana Afroze from the University of Dhaka bagged the Best Advocate Award in the competition held at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) from 8-10 February 2018. The University of Asia Pacific won the Best New Team Award, while the participants of Britannia University and Green University have been awarded with the Spirit of Jessup Award for their indomitable commitment towards mooting. International Law Students Association (ILSA) organised the 2nd Bangladesh National Round of Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition 2018 in collaboration with Bangladesh Chapter of the Asian Society of the International Law (AsianSIL, Bangladesh), IUB and US Department of Justice.

It is the 59th edition of Jessup Moot Court Competition and for the second time Bangladesh is participating in the globally renowned law students' event. A number of 18 teams competed against each other in the national round and 25 teams from all over the country took part in it.

On the first day, 8 February 2018, the competition was inaugurated and teams exchanged their memorials. The draw was held on the same day. The second day was eventful with the preliminary rounds and on 10 February, the final round was held.

Mr. Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, Judge at the High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh; Mr. Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, Judge at the High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh; and Ms. Amy Ray, Assistant United States Attorney and Appellate Chief, Western District, North Carolina, USA, were adjudicators at the final round. They were enormously impressed with the well-informed finalist teams. While commenting about the competition, Ms. Amy Ray reminisced her early days at law school. She appreciated the articulation skill of Bangladeshi law students. However, Mr. Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Mr. Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury highlighted the dearth exposition of international law in Bangladesh. Justice Refaat opined that such competition on international law would play remedial role to draw the essential link between municipal and international law to protect the rights in this country.

In the closing ceremony, while delivering her message the Executive Director of ILSA appreciated the effort Bangladesh for the most impressive Jessup growth in terms of participation. She told that this year more than 600 law schools, the highest in the history of Jessup, from around 100 countries are going to take part in the competition.

Afterwards, Professor Dr. Borhan Uddin Khan, Adviser, Department of Law, IUB & President, AsianSIL, Bangladesh, briefly spoke on the inception and development of the competition –  how it started at Harvard University back in 1960 as a friendly competition and continued ever since.

Mr. Nuran Chouhury, National Administrator of the Competition and the National Coordinator of ILSA, mentioned that two finalist teams to the International Round of Washington DC will be fully supported by the US Department of Justice. Two semi finalist teams, namely the University of Chittagong and Jagannath University, have been offered to participate in the Pre-Moot of Wiliam C Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition 2018 to be held in Kuala Lumpur. The non-qualifying of the Quarter-final round will get chance to participate directly to the 1st IFIM Law College, Bangalore South Asian Technology Law Moot Court Competition, 2018.

Dr. Mohammad Nazmuzzaman Bhuian, Professor of Law, University of Dhaka and also the Vice President of AsianSIL Bangladesh, thanked everyone for their contribution and concluded the programme.

Event covered by Raihan Rahman Rafid, student of Law, Dhaka University.