Intellectual Property Matters
Rahman’s Chambers has an impressive history of assisting clients in securing their Intellectual Property rights. Our services include registration of several IP rights e.g. trademark, copyright and patent and also dealing with disputes arising out of such rights. In recent years, we have witnessed demand from international clients over filing several trademarks and copyrights in Bangladesh territories relating to different kinds of products including software and services. Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific 2024 ranked Rahman’s Chambers for Corporate & Finance. The C&P 2022 editorial stated: “One source states: ‘Their solution-based and customer-oriented approach is enormously helpful in reaching the best solution.”
Rahman’s Chambers has been consecutively ranked for Corporate & Finance.
– Chambers & Partners, 2021 – 2024
“Their response times are excellent and they make you feel generally very well informed.”
– Chambers & Partners, 2018
“The ‘very responsible, responsive and knowledgeable’ Mohammed Forrukh Rahman heads the firm..”
– Legal 500, 2018
We have successfully completed the following works:
TRADEMARK
- We have assisted our client, ETCBL, in a dispute involving copyright and license infringement of a software.
- We conducted legal due diligence involving Trademark pending litigation, franchise regulation involving royalty payment and also advised on the franchise structuring and preparing agreements.
- Trademark TM registration for a number of foreign and local brands and marks.
- Assisted our client with the infringement of its Trademark and possible steps available under civil/criminal jurisdiction related to their IP rights.
- We’re excited to announce that we have successfully filed a trademark for our client’s new bicycle product. The trademark will protect our client’s investment in their new product and ensure that no one else can use the mark without their permission. This is an important step in protecting our client’s intellectual property rights and ensuring that they can profit from their hard work.
- We advised and assisted our client, a Group Bangladesh, in a Trademark Infringement matter, whereby a Pakistani company having a similar name as raised an allegation of Trademark Infringement against our client for having a similar name.
- Searching mark for a number of foreign companies.
- Assisted a client (of Indian nationality) filing with a TM of a rolling entry glide of India.
COPYRIGHT
- Assisted client, on behalf of an International IP law Firm, with filing a Trademark for its Bicycle (company name with logo) with the Department of Patents, Designs & Trademarks (DPDT) in Bangladesh.
- Advised on several aspects of copyright law applicable to artwork placed in the internet.
PATENT & INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
- Provided legal consultancy to a renowned scientist on several aspects of patent protection and drafting related agreement.
FRANCHISE
- Drafted several franchise agreement securing IP rights for several companies
- Advised a Group on several franchise agreements as a franchisor with a number of franchisee gas stations.
- We advised client regarding a Franchise Agreement involving complex issues such as feasibility study, royalty payment and other local laws and regulations.
TRADE SECRET
- Drafted agreement and advised on defense options available relating to the allegation regarding breach of Trade Secret.
Practice Guide – IT (Intellectual Property)
From the perspective of Bangladesh, Intellectual Property (IP) law is not new. The law of patent and industrial design in Bangladesh is dated back to 1911. Whereas the Copyright act enacted in 2000 repealing the 1962 Ordinance. Bangladesh is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The country ratified the Paris Convention regarding the Protection of Industrial Property in 1991 and also the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works in 1999 and a signatory to TRIPS of WTO. Besides the regular practice of lawyers and other professionals in searching, filing, publishing, and challenging patent, copyright, trademark, design rights, IP rights in respect of information have assumed critical importance and now joined with the mainstream IP works. A common challenge faced by pharmaceutical products, software, and other digital products is that developing the same requires so much of investment but once the formula is established the end-product can be reproduced easily and cheaply. While the application of the patent system to software is debatable, every software will qualify for copyright protection. However due to the internet, mass copying capabilities have been developed, protection of copyright is a big challenge. The trademark registration for local and foreign mark for business and charters of software-based games is a common area of practice where lawyers are actively involved. We have been engaged in filing and recording all Intellectual Property rights within Bangladesh for more than 6 years. Our ADR, Land & Tribunals Team has expertise in this area.
Both regular products and information technology related product seek protection of trade mark law. Most business have their presence in the cyberspace and internet domain name incorporates their real life identity, which is a component of trademark. Domain name hijacking hence a very live issue . However, due to ICANN’s domain name dispute resolution policy the resolution of dispute is now simplified by creating administrative panel.
- Registration to identify classes of goods and advise on possible Trademark registration options.
- TM-48 Authorization.
- Filing of the application including search, advertisement and payment of fees.
- Challenges and appeal hearings before the Registrar.
- Assignments of Trademarks.
- Resolve dispute using ADR for infringement, passing off, misuse etc.
- Suits for infringement, passing off, misuse etc.
- Legal assistance involving disputes over domain registration before Administrative panel of ICANN.
Google’s take over of Motorola for USD$ 12.5 Billion for its 17000 patents and subsequent sale of physical assets to another company signifies the important of intellectual property rights particularly patent rights. Multinational companies are competing with each other with Smartphone and software related patent registration. However, it is not easy to register patent for software related item as it is ever changing and many organisations are working on the same product and also it largely depend on the ability of the patent office to make comprehensive search on technology which is truly novel. The right of priority ensured by Paris Convention and introduction of GATS and TRIPS in many ways facilitating investors whether they are from developed countries or are based in third world countries.
The Chambers assist in the following ways:
- Due process, search and communicate with the Department of Patents, Designs & Trademarks
- Assisting in filing preliminary and final application for Patent
- Infringement of patent litigation
- Revocation of patent litigation
With the development of information technology, copyright infringement also grown and took very different shapes. Software piracy is now a global issue. Bangladesh is a signatory of Berne convention. Registration of copyright under the Copyright Act is voluntary and not obligatory. The certificate issued by the registrar of copyright constitutes prima-facie evidence of ownership of copyright. Registration process in the office is manual not automated. The copyright board acts as an appellate authority and is deemed to be civil court.
The Chambers assist clients with different types of copyrights and database protection rights e.g.:
- Seeking blocking order on ISP to websites allowing copyright infringement
- seeking compensation for violation of copyright and date protection rights
Lawsuits between technology companies e.g Samsung vs Apple on the design of Galaxy tablet show how much the tech giants relies on intellectual property rights. Industrial design refers to the right granted in many countries, pursuant to a registration system, to protect the original Ornamental and non-functional features of an industrial article or product that result from design activity. In Bangladesh, designs are registered and governed according to the provisions of the Patent and Designs Act, 1911. The design of an article may be registered if the shape, configuration, pattern or ornament given to it by any industrial process or means is new or original it is not previously in Bangladesh.
Our services includes:
- Registration of design rights
- Assisting and conducting infringement lawsuits
Related Resources - Library
We have a rich library with a mixture of printed and online legal databases. We have printed version of All England Commercial Cases, Indian Digest of Supreme Court cases, Yearbook Commercial Arbitration of Wolter Kluwer and most law reports of Bangladesh. We subscribe to the online legal database Manuputra providing access to most reputed law reports. Read more