History :
Following the liberation war of Bangladesh, BILIA was established on 30th June 1972 by then Minister of Law and then Minister of Foreign Affairs along with other leading national intellectuals in the fields of Law and International Affairs with an aim to undertake and promote research in these two distinct yet interrelated fields, making it the country’s first and oldest civil society t
hink tank. BILIA initiated the first draft of The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act in 1973 which was enacted by the Parliament of Bangladesh in the same year and it also organised The Third International Criminal Law Conference from 26th-29th December 1974 as a step towards the drafting of the statute for an International Criminal Court. Over the years, BILIA has attained recognition as a centre of excellence from within and outside the country. What We Do :
BILIA is a non-profit, independent, and non-governmental research organisation, run by an Executive Council comprising of eminent jurists, lawyers, and diplomats. It conducts policy-oriented advanced research on contemporary issues relating to the Legal and International Affairs in the context of Bangladesh and the wider South Asian region. BILIA publishes two of the most prestigious and oldest peer-reviewed academic journals of the country: Bangladesh Journal of Law and Journal of International Affairs. Composition :
BILIA is registered with Bangladesh Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, under Section 2 of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and is supported by the Bangladesh Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, and Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to its Charter, BILIA is a self-governing body which has a General Body currently consisting of 41 members and an Executive Council who regulate the affairs of BILIA, including ex-officio members such as the Attorney General of Bangladesh and Secretaries of both Bangladesh Ministry of Law and Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Office Bearers and Members of the Executive Council work on an honorary basis. BILIA has its own full-time research faculty headed by the Honorary Director. The Administrative Division and the Library and Documentation Wing of the Institute provide support services and valuable inputs to the researchers. Mission :
Promoting and providing for studies and research in law, international politics, security studies, regional studies, governance, economics, human rights, and jurisprudence. Producing independent and rigorous analysis on critical global, regional and country-specific challenges. Offering new ideas to the decision-makers. Fostering linkages and collaboration among institutions focusing on studies related to conflict, conflict resolution, cooperation, stability, and security in South Asia.
