North South University’s (NSU) Center for Legal Research, a research wing of the Department of Law, hosted a seminar on ‘Locus Standi: Global Perspective’ on 27 November 2025. This special occasion was held at the Moot Court Room NAC 616 and attracted a diverse audience ranging from distinguished faculty members, students, academics, and legal enthusiasts, a press release said.
The seminar was graced by the presence of its Keynote Speaker, Aneek R. Haque, Additional Attorney General for Bangladesh and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, along with its esteemed Chief Guest, Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor at NSU, and its Special Guest, Prof. Abdur Rob Khan, Treasurer and Pro-Vice Chancellor (In-Charge) at NSU.
Prof. Md. Rizwanul Islam, Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, officially opened the program with his introductory remarks, where he emphasized the significance and evolving role of the doctrine of locus standi in public interest litigation.
The Keynote Speaker, Aneek R. Haque, Additional Attorney General for Bangladesh and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, presented on the Doctrine of Locus Standi with a global perspective, igniting thought-provoking discussions. He stated that the most dynamic jurisdictions are those where the court’s interpretations of locus standi advance from a strict focus on individual injury to a more purposive, rights-based approach, which is crucial for tackling systemic issues like human rights and environmental protection. He added that it is the Court’s duty to interpret with pragmatic constitutionalism, citing landmark cases from the USA. He then concluded by stating that public interest litigation has rather transformed into publicity interest or profit interest litigation.
During the Q&A segment, faculty members engaged with the speaker on the challenges of maintaining judicial discipline while simultaneously expanding the scope of locus standi, and the comparative effectiveness of this doctrine in various constitutional democracies. The interactive exchange of ideas deeply immersed all the attendees.
The Special Guest, Prof. Abdur Rob Khan, shared that seminars such as this help provide a link between academic research and judicial practice, thereby strengthening the legal community’s ability to respond to contemporary socio-legal challenges. In addition to this, he commended the department for organizing such a timely and relevant seminar.
Following this, the Chief Guest, Prof. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, highlighted the responsibility of educational institutions such as NSU in providing a necessary platform for legal discourse, preparing future legal reformers, and for the free exchange of ideas between the Bar, the Bench, and academia, to make way for a civic society.
Prof. Ishtiaque Ahmed, Barrister and Chair at the Department of Law at NSU, delivered the concluding remarks. He pointed out the seminar’s success in offering a dynamic, comparative analysis of the right to be heard, providing valuable insights for scholars and practitioners into the future direction of this fundamental legal principle. He expressed gratitude to the speaker and guests for their valuable contributions.
Finally, there was a Crest Handover Ceremony that presented the Keynote speaker with a token of appreciation. The program then concluded with a group photograph featuring all attendees, commemorating the memorable occasion.
