Henry Dunant memorial moot contest begins at DU

A three-day legal debate, titled ‘National Round of Moot Court’, began at Dhaka University’s Senate building on Thursday, aiming to promote better awareness of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) among law students. 

Twenty-two moot societies from both public and private universities are taking part in the 10th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Competition jointly organised by DU Law Faculty and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

This year, ‘the problem addressed will be’ - the Prosecutor vs Brigadier Steef and the Prosecutor vs Colonel Dang charged with crime against humanity. 

Three budding lawyers from each team will present oral and written arguments on this hypothetical case before a mock International Criminal Court.

DU Vice Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique inaugurated the event. Representing from the ICRC its Communication Delegate Michael Kifle also attended the event, said an ICRC press release.

At the closing ceremony, Dr Kamal Hossain will distribute certificates among the participants. 

The champion and runner-up teams will participate in the regional round of moot court to be held in Iran in November this year.

In 2001, the ICRC Regional Delegation for South Asia initiated the Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition, with the aim of promoting better awareness of IHL among law students at universities throughout India. 

This competition is named in memory of Henry Dunant, the co-founder of the ICRC and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 1863. Since 2006, Bangladesh has been organising the moot court competition. 

Afghanistan, Iran, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka also organise their own national rounds in their respective countries. All the countries share a common moot court problem for the national rounds and the regional competition.