Team DU, the Champions of the 14th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition 2023

In the realm of legal education, moot court competitions provide a crucial platform for the overall development of law students. Unlike traditional classroom teachings, these moot courts mirror real-world courtrooms, honing essential skills, broadening legal knowledge, and providing professional connections. 

The Dhaka University Moot Court Society (DUMCS) has consistently brought in notable accolades both in the local and global scene. And they have done so once again in the national rounds of the 14th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition 2023. 

In moot court competitions, participants scrutinise a provided legal issue, research the relevant laws, prepare written submissions, and present oral submissions that mirror the proceedings of a courtroom. The legal issues that participants have to deal with usually revolve around laws that are either unsettled or have undergone recent developments. Each Moot court competition usually has a specific theme that focuses on a certain category of law.

The Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions based on Humanitarian laws, is organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The champion team of the local round, comprising Kazi Rakib Hossain, Rezwana Rashid, and Rezwan Ahmed Refat, will represent Bangladesh in the Asia-Pacific round of the competition, named as 'ICRC International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition' set to be at Hong Kong in 2024. The team shared their winning journey, the challenges they have faced along the way, and the overall scenario of Moot Court Competitions in Bangladesh with the writer.

Team composition of team DU

Team composition is perhaps the most important aspect of winning in competitions. But Team DU didn’t have to worry about it as their team was formed from the society itself. Being a third-year student at the law department of Dhaka University, Rezwan Ahmed Refat was relatively new to Moot Court Competitions. But that was complimented perfectly by Rezwana Rashid and Kazi Rakib Hossain’s experience, where they both have bagged several local and international accolades. Rezwana is currently a 4th year student, whereas Rakib is pursuing his master's degree in law at Dhaka University. 

Every Moot Court Competition has a certain theme. The Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition is based on International Humanitarian Laws, which are international laws and principles that govern armed conflicts. Team DU moved through 8 different rounds to reach the final. This year's case was centred on a hypothetical scenario where two countries were in an armed conflict over a disputed Island. 

The prosecution, representing the complaining country, had to prove that they were victims of War Crimes. Refat said, “In the competition, we had to argue both sides of the case. On the side of the prosecution, our objective was to substantiate that war crimes had indeed taken place against the victim country. While representing the defense, our task was to prove that war crimes had not occurred.” Arguing from both sides was an interesting experience for the team.

Challenges and future strategies

Was The Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition more challenging than other competitions? Rakib has a mixed answer to this, “I wouldn’t say that this competition was exceptionally challenging, and each Moot Court Competition presents its own set of diverse challenges as the module and themes are different. But The Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition is challenging in the sense that it deals with Humanitarian laws, which we’re not quite familiar with as they are not used in day-to-day lives. So a big part of the challenge was to research extensively to familiarise ourselves with the law first.”

Will Team Bangladesh have a different strategy in the Asia-Pacific round of 2024? Refat thinks the answer lies in having a robust preparation. He adds, “Obviously, the international round will present a larger platform with more formidable opponents. In response, we will focus on a more comprehensive preparation, which includes practising diverse case studies and enriching our understanding of humanitarian laws.

The role of Moot Court competitions

Does Moot Court Competitions play a substantial role in the development of a legal student? Rezwana wholeheartedly believes it does. She adds, “Mooting Competitions are a simulation of both domestic and foreign courts. What makes it exciting is the opportunity to present arguments in front of judges and advocates of the Supreme Court, or other highly successful legal professionals. This unique experience is usually not found in the confines of classrooms.” 

The benefits of Moot Court Competitions go a long way to enrich the legal knowledge of the participants. Rezwana adds, “In my case, I probably wouldn’t have studied Humanitarian laws until I pursued my Masters Degree. But thanks to this competition, I not only got to learn these laws but also practice my arguments based on them. These are invaluable experiences for me.”

Moot Court Competitions can be daunting at first sight to first-year law students. But Refat, the newest of the team, thinks that initial fear is the only barrier to succeeding in moot court competitions. He adds, “My advice to newcomers is to simply go for it. I understand that presenting in front of actual legal practitioners can seem daunting at first, but once you just make the jump you realise you’re okay with the experience, and you start to get good at it.”

Challenges of the Mooting Landscape in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has had multiple success stories in the Global Moot Court Competition landscape, bringing glory to the country. But Refat believes the results can be even better if Moot Court Competitions get more sponsorships and funding. “One of the key issues in the realm of mooting is the overbearing expense associated with participating in international rounds, which may ultimately thwart the journey of the champions of a local round." 

"Thankfully, we are fully funded for the Asia-Pacific round of 2024. But there have been instances in the past, where teams weren’t so fortunate, and thus they couldn’t represent Bangladesh in the global rounds. So, it would really help the overall mooting landscape of Bangladesh if the organisations and companies here come forward with their monetary support”

So, what’s the dream for the Asia-Pacific round? Team DU has their goals set, “We’re pleased with what we have achieved so far. But we’ll have to try to be even better. It’s an honor to represent Bangladesh in the global rounds, and hopefully, we’ll be able to achieve a good result there.” 

Abdullah-Aat-Tahmidus Siddiquee is a third-year student at the Institute of Business Administration, Dhaka University