Life & Work

Field of specialisation:	Family law and family justice, Rural justice, Law and poverty, Law and governance.
Name:	Zahidul Islam Biswas
Born:	31 December 1979
Nationality:	Bangladeshi
Qualifications:
2009	M Phil (Specialisation on Rural Justice), from Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
2002	LLM (Human Rights Law) from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
2001	LLB (Honours) from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Languages:	English (Excellent) , Bengali (Mother tongue)
Countries of Experience:	Bangladesh and India
Professional Experience:
2007 – till date	· Advocate, The Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. · Research Scholar, Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi · Governance Researcher, Governance Knowledge Centre, New Delhi
2005 – 2007	Legal Researcher, Public Interest Litigation & Advocacy, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh
2005	Legal Researcher, D.Net (Development Research Network), Bangladesh
2004	Legal Researcher, ERGO Legal Counsels (law chamber), Dhaka, Bangladesh
2003 – 2004	Member, Research Team for Legal Affairs, Reforms in Revenue Administration (RIRA), National Board of Revenue and the Ministry of Finance, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
2003	Assistant Law Desk in-Charge, The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Some examples of Mr Biswas’s experiences include:

Ensuring Access to Justice and Human Rights	Bangladesh The principal researcher for the research project ‘Access to Justice through State-led Rural Justice System in Bangladesh: A Case Study in a Union Parishad’ funded by Research Initiatives Bangladesh, House no. 104, Road No. 25, Block A, Banani, Bangladesh (July 2008- June 2009). As a result of this successful project, I am acquainted with the frameworks for Access to Justice and the state of human rights and access to justice, local formal and informal judicial governance in rural Bangladesh. Bangladesh Legal researcher, Public Interest Litigation & Advocacy, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Bangladesh (July 2005 – July 2007). As a result of my service here, I have the skills of law and policy research for improvement of access of the poor and disadvantaged to justice, as well as the expertise to develop arguments for Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
	Bangladesh Member, research team for legal affairs, Reforms in Revenue Administration (RIRA), National Board of Revenue and the MOF, GOB (December 2003 – June 2004). Responsibilities included: to analyse and improve the legal frameworks for revenue administration in Bangladesh.
Law and Governance	India Law and Governance Researcher, Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India (2007 – 2008). Here, I was taught and trained under a one year (two semesters) course work on law and governance research. It taught me, among various issues, the role of civil society in the processes of governance; accountability and legitimacy of governing institutions; citizenship and human rights; the impact of the legal framework and legal processes on the rights, entitlements and social opportunities of citizens; the rule of law; access to justice; the relationship between the public and the private sector, multi-layered governance; civil service reform and new public management; traditional and modern institutions for self-governance. India Researcher, Governance Knowledge Centre, New Delhi (a collaborative endeavour of Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances of Govt of India and Jawaharlal Nehru University) (January 2008- till date). As a result of my work experience here, I can undertake independent legal and socio-legal, administrative and governance research; develop research plan, select research methodologies and conduct research accordingly; build strong relationship with people with my research, who are from different classes and sections of the society at large; liaison with high-level government officials, technical specialists when necessary for any research.
	Bangladesh Village Court Expert for the ‘Baseline Survey on the Village Courts in Bangladesh’ conducted for the ‘Activating Village Courts’ project of UNDP Bangladesh (October 2009- till date). Responsibilities include: to provide legal guidance in survey design and in developing survey instruments in line with the access to justice framework by UNDP.
Current Research Engagements	· Working as a Village Court Expert to assist the Baseline Survey of the Village Courts in Bangladesh for the ‘Activating Village Courts’ project of the UNDP. · Involved in an action research project aiming to explore how the common people can have better access to justice under the existing rural justice systems in Bangladesh.
Related Publications	Books: · (July 2006) ‘Selected Articles by Zahidul Islam: 2005’ (compilation of law and governance related articles published in different national newspapers in 2005); Published by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Dhaka. Web publication in July 2006. See at: · http://www.blast.org.bd/pil/articles_of_daily_star.pdf · (November 2006) ‘Strengthening Family Courts’; (a legal analysis of the Family Courts Ordinance 1985) Published by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Dhaka. Internet Edition in November 2006. See at: http://www.blast.org.bd/publication/strngth_family.. Articles in journal: · (2006) ‘The Confusions and Uncertainties Thwarting Family Courts’; Bangladesh Journal of Law, Vol. 10 Nos.1 & 2, June & December 2006; at pp. 97 – 118; Dhaka. · (2005) ‘Legitimate Expectation: Understanding how a view turned to a principle’; Bangladesh Journal of Law, Vol. 9 Nos.1 & 2 June & December 2005; at pp. 69 – 84; Dhaka. Selected research reports: · (July, 2009) ‘Access to Justice through State-led Rural Justice System in Bangladesh: A Case Study in Kansat Union Parishad’; Research Initiative Bangladesh, House no. 104, Road No. 25, Block A, Banani, Bangladesh. Unpublished report is available at: Research Initiative Bangladesh (Email: rib@citech-bd.com). · (February, 2009) ‘Case Information System in Delhi High Court’ (a best practice in judicial e-governance in India)’; Governance Knowledge Centre, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Govt. of India. · (May, 2008) ‘Evaluation Report on E-Jana Sampark, Chandigarh (a best practice in e-governance in India)’; Governance Knowledge Centre, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Govt. of India. · (June, 2007) ‘Report of the Study on the Advocacy Programme on the Use of Sections 54 and 167 of CrPC by the Police Officers’; PIL & Advocacy Cell, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust; Dhaka, Bangladesh. · (February, 2006) ‘Looking into the Institutional Response to Monga’, PIL & Advocacy Cell, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust; Dhaka, Bangladesh. · (October, 2005) ‘Towards identifying advocacy issues concerning Family Courts and Nari O Shishu Nirjaton Domon Tribunal’; PIL & Advocacy Cell, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust; Dhaka, Bangladesh. Articles Published In Dailies · (2008) ‘The Village Court: A Neglected But Potential Rural Justice Forum’; The Daily Star, 1 August, 2008. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2008/08/01/index.htm · (2008) ‘Judiciary Must Take Bold Steps To Get Rid Of Backlog Of Cases’; The Daily Star, 28 June, 2008. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2008/06/04/index.htm · (2007) ‘Hartal, Recent SC Judgment and Vulnerable Public Interest’; The Daily Star, 15 December 2007. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2007/12/03/info.htm · http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2007/11/03/index.htm · (2007) ‘Restricting Polygamy in Bangladesh’; The Daily Star, 28 April 2007. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2007/04/04/index.htm · (2006) ‘Mediation and the Family Courts’; The New Age, 12 December 2006. See: www.newagebd.com/2006/dec/12/oped.html · (2006) ‘The Plight of The Family Members Of The Outlaws’, The Daily Star, 28 January 2006. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2006/01/03/index.htm · (2005) ‘Guaranteeing The Rights Of The Slum Dwellers’; The Daily Star, 8 October 2005. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2005/10/02/index.htm · (2005) ‘Police Torture and Recent Court Directives’; The Daily Star, 20 August 2005. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2005/08/03/human.htm · (2005) ‘The Rights Of The Citizens Residing Abroad’; The Daily Star, 2nd January 2005. See: http://www.thedailystar.net/law/2005/01/01/corner.htm