The Law Counsel

Constitutional and Administrative Law, Banking and Commercial Law, Labour Law, Telecommunications Law, Employment law, International Criminal Law.

Senior Partner and Head of Chambers, The Law CounselTenant of Legis Chamber. 14 Red Lion Square, Holbon, London

CONSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LAW: In the three decades since the commencement of his practice in Bangladesh in 1986, Mr. Razzaq has built up a substantial constitutional/administrative law practice, having been involved in numerous high profile public law cases which have had a lasting impact in the legal arena.

COMMERCIAL LAW: Mr. Razzaq has represented foreign and local clients in a variety of commercial disputes in  the  civil  courts  as  well  as  in  arbitration  proceedings,  with  particular  expertise  in international  trade  and  commerce.  Mr.  Razzaq  has also been  engaged  in all  major litigations involving issues of Shariah in the banking sector. Chambers and Partners (Asia Pacific,  2014)  described  him  as  having  ‘a  longstanding  reputation  for  litigation  and Islamic  financing  work.’ As  a  specially  appointed  counsel  of  the  National  Board  of Revenue,  he  has  represented  the  Bangladesh  VAT  and  Customs  authorities  in  the Supreme Court in numerous customs, VAT and Income tax cases.

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW: Between  2011  and  2013,  Mr.  Razzaq  appeared  as  Chief  Defence  Counsel  before Bangladesh’s  first  ever  War  Crimes  Tribunal  constituted  to  try  commission  of  crimes against  humanity  and  genocide  during  the  War  of  Liberation  in  1971.  Mr.  Razzaq represented as many as 6 defendants before the War Crimes Tribunal and the Supreme Court and was instrumental to shaping the jurisprudence of international criminal law in Bangladesh.  His  robust  defence  of  defendants  before  the  War  Crimes  Tribunal  was praised  in  an  independent  report  on  the  Trial  of  International  Crimes  in  Bangladesh authored by Geoffrey Robertson QC – ‘defendants have been represented by capable and courageous counsel, especially … where defence teams have been led by Abdur Razzaq, a Lincoln’s Inn barrister’.

TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES: Mr. Razzaq has wide experience of dealing with clients in the telecommunications sector. Under his leadership, the firm assisted Dhabi Group of UAE in preparing their successful bid  for  a  telecommunications  licence  for  providing  telecommunications  services  in Bangladesh.

EXPERIENCE IN ANTI-CORRUPTION/ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS: As  Senior  Partner  of The  Law  Counsel  (which  is a  TRACE  Partner  Firm), prepared and updated country reports and guidelines on anti-corruption issues. Regularly  advise  banks  and  financial  institutions regarding  application  of  anticorruption and anti-money laundering legislations. Advised the largest private bank in Bangladesh regarding allegations of counter terrorism  financing  operations  made  by  the  U.S.  Senate  Permanent  Sub Committee on Investigations.  Preparation of reports on potential local partners of foreign clients in respect of compliance with US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Drafting  policies  for  multi-national  companies  on  governance  issues  and compliance  with  anti-corruption  and  anti  money  laundering  legislations  of Bangladesh.

English and Bangla

Hon’ble Society of Lincoln’s Inn; London. Supreme Court Bar Association., Bangladesh Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. Chairman of Institute of Research and Development, Dhaka. Secretary General of the Centre for Human Rights, Dhaka.

B.A. (Hons), M.A.