Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Bangladesh underwent a fundamental shift with the establishment of the Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre (BIAC) in 2011, the country’s first institutional arbitration facility. Prior to BIAC’s launch, commercial dispute resolution in Bangladesh relied almost entirely on ad-hoc arbitration or conventional court litigation. From BIAC’s foundational years to its ongoing evolution, Rahman’s Chambers and its Head of Chambers, Mr. Mohammed Forrukh Rahman, have played a pioneering role in advancing institutional dispute resolution across the country.
Rahman’s Chambers holds a historic place in Bangladesh’s institutional ADR legacy, having served as lead counsel for the claimant in the very first arbitration proceeding conducted and formally awarded under the BIAC Arbitration Rules.
In this milestone dispute, the firm represented a Japanese corporate investor against a local Bangladeshi enterprise concerning the acquisition of leasehold interests in Export Processing Zone (EPZ) land. In accordance with standard arbitral confidentiality maintained in public disclosures, the opposing party was a local Bangladeshi commercial company engaged in EPZ property transactions. Mr. Mohammed Forrukh Rahman served as lead counsel for the claimant, leading the legal strategy before the tribunal. The proceeding was presided over by Mr. Ajmalul Hossain QC, who was appointed by BIAC as the sole arbitrator under its institutional rules. The rendered award established the legal and procedural viability of institutional arbitration within Bangladesh.Building upon this foundational legacy, Mr. Mohammed Forrukh Rahman actively serves on BIAC’s official Panel of Arbitrators as well as its Panel of Mediators.
Mr. Rahman’s enlistment on the BIAC Panel of Arbitrators recognizes his extensive practice in commercial, maritime, corporate, and infrastructure dispute resolution. As an official BIAC panel arbitrator, he is positioned to preside over complex domestic and cross-border commercial disputes administered under BIAC rules, providing parties with independent, efficient, and internationally benchmarked tribunal leadership.
