Fourth Jessup Moot Court Competition held at UAP

The 4th Bangladesh National Round of the 61st Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, 2020 was held at the University of Asia Pacific - UAP.

University of Dhaka became the Champion and University of Chittagong became the Runner-up in the three-day competition ended on Saturday.  

Twenty four teams consisting of more than 150 law students from different universities participated in the competition, according to a media release.

This year, the national round was organised by Jessup Bangladesh in association with International Law Students Association Bangladesh (ILSA), Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT)- US Department of Justice (DoJ), University of Asia Pacific – UAP, UQEEL and Old Bailey Chambers (OBC).

There were awards given in several categories.

University of Asia Pacific stood third amongst all the teams. Rifat Z Khan from University of Dhaka bagged the Best Mooter award for her excellent performance, the release added.

University of Chittagong received the Best Memorial award while Premier University was recognised with the Spirit of the Jessup Award.

Khulna University was announced the Best New Team.

CM Shafi Sami, Chairman, Board of Trustees, University of Asia Pacific inaugurated the competition on February 6^th.

Dr Jamirul Reza Choudhury, National Professor and Vice-Chancellor, University of Asia Pacific chaired the closing session.

Md Asaduzzaman, Head, Department of Law and Human Rights, University of Asia Pacific; Lesley Benn, Executive Director, International Law Students Association; Eric Opanga, Resident Legal Advisor, US Department of Justice, OPDAT, US Embassy Dhaka; ASM Sayem Ali Pathan, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh & National Administrator of Jessup Bangladesh National Round, 2020, Nuran Chowdhury, founding National Administration, Jessup Bangladesh & National Coordinator, ILSA Chapters-Bangladesh; were present as well as the judges of final rounds.

Mr Justice Mirza Hussain Haider, Honourable Judge, Appellate Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh; Mr Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, Honourable Judge, Supreme Court of Bangladesh; Barrister M Amir-ul Islam, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, were the judges of the final.

Dr Sharif Bhuiyan, Dr Shahjahan Saju, Justice Zafar Ahmed judged the third-place deciding round.

Jessup Moot Court Competition is one of the most renowned and oldest competitions of law students that gathers law students from more than 100 countries in the international round.

Around 740 teams are participating globally this year, and Bangladesh is the 5th largest national round in the world.