The Bangladesh International Arbitration Centre (BIAC), the country’s only institution dedicated to promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), successfully organized a two-day professional training programme titled “Resolution of Commercial Disputes: Mediation & Arbitration” on 29–30 October 2025 at the BIAC Auditorium in Dhaka. The event aimed to build practical knowledge and technical expertise in two of the most widely recognized ADR mechanisms, mediation and arbitration; drawing participation from a diverse group of professionals representing the legal, corporate, and academic sectors.
The first day of the training was dedicated to mediation, facilitated by Mr. Shahariar Sadat, Deputy Executive Director at the Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University, and an internationally certified mediator. Mr. Sadat conducted an engaging and interactive session covering the foundational principles of mediation, including confidentiality, neutrality, and the concept of interest-based negotiation. Participants were introduced to effective communication strategies, active listening, and creative problem-solving techniques essential to successful mediation practice. Through group discussions, simulation exercises, and case-based role-plays, participants explored how mediation can serve as a powerful tool for resolving conflicts in commercial, workplace, and civil contexts in a manner that preserves relationships and promotes collaboration.
The second day of the training focused on arbitration, facilitated by Dr. Khaled Hamid Chowdhury, Senior Advocate of the Appellate Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, and a certified arbitrator and mediator. Dr. Chowdhury offered a detailed overview of the arbitration process, emphasizing the legal and procedural framework that governs it both domestically and internationally. He explained the stages of arbitration from the drafting of arbitration clauses and appointment of arbitrators to the issuance and enforcement of arbitral awards. Highlighting its significance in resolving complex commercial disputes, Dr. Chowdhury underscored arbitration’s advantages of confidentiality, flexibility, and enforceability, particularly in the context of cross-border trade and investment.
The programme concluded with a certificate awarding ceremony, where Dr. Khaled Hamid Chowdhury and BIAC Senior Counsel Mohammad Anisul Haque Emran jointly presented certificates of completion to the participants. In his closing remarks, Dr. Chowdhury congratulated the attendees for their enthusiasm and active engagement throughout the sessions. He emphasized the importance of capacity building in ADR to meet the growing need for efficient dispute resolution mechanisms in Bangladesh’s expanding commercial landscape.
The event was successfully coordinated by BIAC Secretariat members, including Senior Counsel Mohammad Anisul Haque Emran and Assistant Counsel Sanjida Sohana. All IT and technical support for the programme were efficiently managed by Amit Das, IT and Administrative Officer at BIAC.
With the successful completion of this training, BIAC reaffirmed its continued commitment to enhancing professional capacity in ADR and contributing to a more efficient, accessible, and business-friendly dispute resolution environment in Bangladesh.