Short Courses & Workshops

Law Teachers' Training Program

In 1997, LETI took a joint initiative with National University a pilot project to train the Law teachers of different law colleges of Bangladesh with a view to upgrading the general standard of Law education in the country. The course was held from April 25 to May 25, 1997. 24 teachers from Dhaka, Rangpur, Jamalpur Gaibandha, Chandpur, Jhenidah and other districts participated in the course Similar program was repeated for the law teachers teaching in law college within Dhaka. Subjects covered included Clinical Method of Law Teaching, Teaching the Law of Crime, Contract and tort, Case Law Method of teaching Inquiry and Investigation amongst others. Considering the success of the program, LETI plans to jointly sponsor and conduct similar courses in the coming years.

Curriculum for Law Colleges

LETI also took initiative in developing the curriculum for law teaching for the undergraduates. A Consultant funded by Asia Foundation Professor Jay Erstlinc in

Consultation with LETI submitted a report on the curriculum reform. LETI has in its last meeting designated Dr. Shah Alam, Dean of Law Department o Chittagong University to prepare a curriculum to be approved by LETI and the Bar Council. Bar Council will then work out implementation strategy in consultation with the relevant Universities.

Peacekeeping & Humanitarian Action

A one-day Workshop on Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Action was co organized by UNHCR and LETI for Bangladesh Bar Council in September 1998 with a view to enhancing the communication among lawyers, armed Force Personnel, diplomats, jurists and UN officials for sharing their views and opinions on peace keeping and humanitarian issues. Similar training workshop took place in Chittagong in 1999.

Projects, Public Interest Litigation and Research Activities Human Rights Monitoring

LETI, has been giving institutional support to Bangladesh Bar Council, in closely monitoring the violation of human rights in the country since 1997 through its 59 cells formed out of the lawyers rained by LETI in human rights operating from their respective Bar Associations. This Human Rights Monitoring Cells (HRMC) of District Bar Associations act as organized Human Rights activists to play a pioneering role in strengthening Human Rights implementation mechanism and building public awareness throughout the country. With the coordination and interaction of concerned authorities, agencies and organizations, these cells conduct enquiry and investigation into reported violations and provide legal support for victims. The cells are to undertake effective legal measures (PIL) and other follow up actions to promote and protect Human Rights. The institute has been providing full support to the Bar Council in terms of providing training, monitoring, reporting coordination, and skill development for PIL. Some of the monitoring cells are in the process of opening mediation center, offering out of court settlement, expecting LETI to provide training to the members of the center.

Law Reform

LETI conducted study and research on laws relating to cruelty on women and children held seminar and workshop with various representative of women originations, human rights group; studied laws on arbitration, Human Rights Commission and on Ombudsman held meetings with representatives of Bar Association for reform in procedural laws and compiled comments for law commission and the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Conference/Seminar

The institute frequently organizes national and international seminars, workshops and conferences highlighting Human Rights, Gender Sensitization, Environmental Protection and other crucial issues in the legal sector. Apart from inviting reputed local legal experts from the Supreme Court judges, eminent lawyers and professors of reputed universities, LETI invites international experts in the field of law including those from the neighboring countries. The following are some of  the recent seminars and workshops arranged by LETI.

Focused Group Discussion on Gender Sensitization amongst female lawyers at Rajshahi (15 April 2000).

Seminar on Human Rights & Role of Lawyers' at Comilla (4 March 2000)

Seminar on "Human Rights & Role of Lawyers" at Paikgacha (12 February 2000)

Focused Group Discussion on Gender Sensitization amongst female lawyers at Chittagong (26 February 2000).

Seminar on "Human Rights & Role Of Lawyers" at Chittagong (26 February 2000) Focused Group Discussion on Gender Sensitization amongst female lawyers at Dhaka (January 2000)

National Seminar on "Human Rights & Role of Lawyers" at Cox's Bazar (26-27 November, 1999)

Grand Celebration of the Golden Jubilee of UDHR co-organized by Bangladesh Bar Council and UNHCR (December 10, 1998)

Symposium on Human Rights of The Mentally Disabled (October 10, 1998)

Symposium on "Human Rights & Mental Health" co-organized by Bangladesh Bar

Council and Bangladesh Psychiatrist Association (November 21,1998)

Publications

The Institute has thus far made numerous publications in forms of quarterly LETI, CLEP Bulletins, Commemorations, Monographs, Reports and Pamphlets. Moreover, the Institute is proud to be the author publisher of two valuable books entitled Human Rights Manual and Lexicon of Principle and Issues of Refugee Laws that have enriched the legal sector of Bangladesh and gained wide international recognition. Presently, publication of a three-volume Compendium of English for Lawyers is in progress.

Develop the Linkage with other Institutions

Over the past years  LETI has had opportunities to share the experience of  National Law school of  India University. Instructors and Course coordinator had training in Human Rights  education training of trainers and in mediation Humanitarian laws in Bangalore,  Dr. Madova Menon, now founder Vice Chancellor of the New Law University in Calcutta and Dr. Mitra presently the Vice Chancellor of National Law School visited Dhaka and shared their experience  and expertise in teaching law. Similarly LETI’s instructors  benefited from visiting instructor  Dr. Clinton Benberger training the trainers in  clinical method in law teaching sponsored by the  Ford Foundation. LETI has continuing relationship with the Australian Advocacy Training Institute run by the Australian Bar Association.

The Chairman initiated several negotiations and correspondence with several Universities in UK for imparting legal education as to how a faculty can be developed locally in order to offer UK LL.B Degree in Bangladesh, and further to facilitate the study for the Bar Vocational Course which is now conducted in UK. Hopefully, such courses can be delivered replicated and or adopted in Bangladesh by incorporating some of the core subjects and comparative study of Constitutional law having emphasis also on Bangladesh Constitution and law of property procedure and personal laws.

Meetings have been organized with the faculty members and the University representatives and other consultants from Hong Kong City University and Bangalore

National Law School. They found the interaction with the faculty most satisfactory.

If the LETI approved this project and authorizes the formation and registration of such a school, then the details can be worked out for the formation of such a school as a separate and independent project, LETI having its full support and commitment along with the support of Dhaka University and BILIA. It will be part of the objective as enumerated in LETI’s own charter. The Hon'ble Law Minister has met the representative from foreign University and the members of the faculty and he is also keen to give his full support for this project.

A meeting was arranged on 2g.3.2000 in honor of Dr. N.R. Madhava Menon, an eminent legal Scholar, who established the National Law School of India University at Bangalore, India and is founder of similar University in West Bengal. Judges, eminent lawyers and Resource Persons and the Members of the Bar Council attended this meeting.

While interacting with the Institute Mr. Menon observed that:

"I find a large number of Senior Lawyers giving aid to this institute. There are 10 Lac lawyers in the U.S.A., 7 Lac in India. The seniors in other countries do not spare time, for the juniors. But I find it in Bangladesh. Our clients expect skill on the part of the Lawyers. Lawyers here in Bangladesh should go on collecting all kinds of information’s in this field from other countries, in order to reach the stage of the European and American Lawyers, in greater number."

Mr. Menon highly appreciated the endeavor of LETI in its field of activity and assured of his all out possible cooperation in this respect in future. Mr. M. Amir-ul Islam, Barrister-at-Law made over small gifts to the honored guest on behalf of the Institute

The Institute has plans to offer various continuing training packages on specific subject matter covering all the above aspects of learning and research. In the coming years, LETI is determined to further strengthen its ties with other major law learning and training institutions in other countries, create linkage with various institutions and Bar Association in the region and in other foreign jurisdiction as have been done with National Law School of India University, Inns of Court Law School, London University and Northumbria University.