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Law minister urges lawyers to uphold integrity, professional excellence and human values
He says serving clients with dedication, regardless of their financial means, is a lawyer’s foremost responsibility
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 06 Nov 2026, 04:59 PM
Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman is speaking at the opening of the 17th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition 2026 on international humanitarian law at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in the capital on 6 November 2026. Photo: Collected
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Friday urged lawyers to uphold human values, professional competence, integrity and commitment, saying their foremost duty was to ensure proper legal representation regardless of clients' financial means.
People seeking legal assistance entrust lawyers with their hopes, confidence and expectations, he said, stressing that lawyers must present sound legal arguments and discharge their professional responsibilities with dedication.
He was speaking at the opening of the 17th Henry Dunant Memorial Moot Court Competition 2026 on international humanitarian law at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in the capital.
The IUB and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) jointly organised the event.
Asaduzzaman said the legal profession required dedication, perseverance and thorough research, not merely an intention to earn money. He described free legal assistance to disadvantaged people as lawyers' professional zakat.
He said international humanitarian law applied during wars and armed conflicts, while human rights law broadly addressed people's fundamental rights.
The nature of warfare had changed, with economic pressure, trade restrictions and visa restrictions increasingly being used alongside conventional military means, he said, adding that artificial intelligence was creating new challenges for the application of international humanitarian law.
The minister urged young people to take leadership through their knowledge, reasoning, hard work and commitment, saying the Liberation War, the 1990 mass uprising and the 2024 uprising reflected the aspirations and responsibilities of different generations.
IUB Vice-Chancellor Prof M Tamim presided over the event. IUB Board of Trustees Chairman Didar A Hossain, ICRC Head of Delegation in Bangladesh Nicolas Fleury and IUB School of Law adviser Prof Borhan Uddin Khan also spoke.
Twenty-nine teams from 29 universities submitted written legal arguments and research papers for the competition. Sixteen selected teams will advance to the quarter-finals.
The competition aims to develop students' knowledge of international humanitarian law and strengthen their research, analytical and legal advocacy skills.