An international conference on Decolonising Law and Criminology was held at Daffodil International University (DIU) on Sunday, bringing together legal scholars, judges, policymakers and researchers to examine the justice system beyond colonial frameworks.
Organised by the Department of Law, Daffodil Legal Research Center (DLRC) and several academic institutions, the event was held under the theme “Unshackling the Mind: Decolonising Law, Criminology and Justice in Bangladesh,” said a press release on Sunday.
It promoted discussions on indigenous knowledge, justice and alternative legal approaches, providing a platform for academics and legal professionals to exchange research and ideas.
State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin attended as guest of honour, while DIU Board of Trustees Chairman Md Sabur Khan was chief guest and UNDP Senior Programme Advisor (Governance) Dragan Popovic joined as special guest.
Distinguished attendees included former Appellate Division Justice MA Matin and Bangladesh Law Commission Chairman Justice Zinat Ara.
Presentations and research papers were delivered by Deputy Attorney General Syeda Shajia Sharmin; Bangladesh Bar Council Legal Education Committee Chairman Raghib Rauf Chowdhury; Bogazici University academic Selcuk Aydin; DIU Dean Liza Sharmin; DIU Associate Dean Kudrat-E-Khuda Babu; Jahangirnagar University Dean Md Rabiul Islam; Nepal Forum for Restorative Justice Executive Director Ram Tiwari; DIU Law Department Head SM Saiful Haque; and DLRC Director Muhammad Asadullah, along with researchers from Bangladesh and abroad.
Academic sessions featured paper presentations and panel discussions under four themes: Indigenous Justice Systems, The Impact of Colonialism on Bangladesh’s Justice System, Decolonising Security and Counter-Terrorism, and Transitional Justice and Criminology.
Addressing the conference, Mir Mohammed Helal Uddin said reforms were needed to strengthen institutions, ensure human rights protection and make Parliament more effective in building a just and inclusive society.
Raghib Rauf Chowdhury said Bangladesh’s diverse culture and social realities called for rethinking conventional approaches to land distribution, adding that legal frameworks must recognise local perspectives and align with people’s needs.
Organisers said the conference advanced research in law and criminology, strengthened international academic collaboration and promoted new perspectives on justice, expressing hope it would contribute to future research, policy dialogue and legal reforms on post-colonial law and the justice system in Bangladesh.
