Founder and Director
Dr Abdullah Al Arif, Founder and Director of BCOLP, is an internationally experienced legal researcher specialising in ocean governance and the law of the sea. He holds a PhD in law and has recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yokohama City University, Japan. Dr Arif published a research monograph, “Sustainable Fisheries Management and International Law: Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal,” with Routledge (2022) and several research articles in leading journals.
Deputy Director
Quazi Omar Foysal, Deputy Director at BCOLP, is a Bangladeshi-qualified international lawyer. Foysal is currently pursuing a PhD in International Law at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. He studied at UCLouvain (Belgium), Geneva Academy (Switzerland) and the University of Dhaka (Bangladesh) and is an alumnus of Yeosu Academy of the Law of the Sea (South Korea). At BCOLP, he is responsible for coordinating the BCOLP Academy, the annual flagship training programme on the law of the sea.
Deputy Director
Dr Sabrina Hasan, Deputy Director at BCOLP, is an Assistant Professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL), as well as a part-time researcher at the ECUPL Institute of BRICS Legal Studies. She received the Chinese Government Marine Scholarship in 2018 and holds a Doctor of Law degree, majoring in Law of the Sea, from the South China Sea Institute of Xiamen University, awarded in 2022. She published several scholarly articles on ocean governance and the law of the sea in internationally reputed peer-reviewed journals.
Program and Partnerships
Mr Mahdi Ezaz Maswood is a lawyer specialising in contracts, trade, fintech, e-commerce, franchise business, international transport, corporate investment, restructuring, and property law. With expertise in court proceedings in both Bangladesh and Europe, his primary interests include corporate investment, shipping law, maritime and corporate law, international sale of goods, and commercial arbitration. He also has strong experience in regulatory advising, corporate governance, strategy planning, and policy development.
Planning and Development
Mobarak Hossain, Planning and Development Coordinator at BCOLP, is an Assistant Professor of Law at Dhaka International University, Bangladesh and an advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court. He holds a special two-year LLM degree in the Sea and Maritime Law from Ankara University, Turkiye. His LLM thesis focuses on “Towards the Sustainable Blue Economy in the Bay of Bengal: Legal Challenges for Bangladesh”. He writes opinion pieces in leading newspapers and research articles in academic journals.
Research and Communications
Nadia Islam Nody, Research and Communications Coordinator at BCOLP, is a Lecturer of Law at the Bangladesh Army International University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh. She completed her LLB and LLM from Jahangirnagar, University, Bangladesh. She is a keen enthusiast of Environmental Law and International Law. She dedicated her academic journey to various voluntary humanitarian activities with NGOs such as the Liberation War Museum, BLAST, and SLAF.
Water Law and Governance
Ferdousi Begum is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Law in the American International University-Bangladesh. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at the University of Dhaka, she received Silver Jubilee Scholarship to pursue her post-graduation in International Law at South Asian University in New Delhi, India. She was the recipient of the ‘South Asian Research Colloquium Award for Environmental Law’ in 2021. She was an awardee of the ‘CGS-UNDP Fellowship on Peace’ for 2019. Her research interests include International Water Law and International Environmental Law.
Editor, BCOLP Blog
Shah Maruf is a Lecturer at the Department of Law, East West University. He completed his LLB Honors and LLM (International & Comparative Law) from the University of Dhaka. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of Dhaka Law Review (DHLR) and worked with a UNICEF project as a Research Assistant. His primary areas of interest are (comparative) constitutional law, (international) environmental law, and international law. Maruf won the first prize in BCOLP’s Professor M. Habibur Rahman Law of the Sea Blog Competition in 2023.
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Ocean Literacy and Leadership
Shadab Bin Ashraf is an Assistant Profesor of Law at Bangladesh Army International University of Science and Technology (BAIUST) and an advocate at the Dhaka District and Sessions Judge Court. He holds an LLB and an LLM from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). He has coordinated international maritime law training programs with Gujarat Maritime University (GMU) in India. His recent research focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) and technology law, with work published by Oxford University Press.
Grants and Funding
C.A.M. Al Wahi is a maritime law researcher, with a specialization in ocean law and policy. He holds an LLM (Professional) from Bangladesh University of Professionals and an LLB from Bangladesh Maritime University, where his academic focus centered on international maritime law, the law of the sea, maritime environmental law, and ocean governance and policies. Wahi has authored and co-authored several articles in peer-reviewed journals. At BCOLP, he contributes as a researcher and blog author, with a keen interest in sustainable ocean governance and Bangladesh’s maritime future.
Events and Engagement
Tasnuba Tasnim Anita is a final year LLB student at Independent University, Bangladesh with a strong academic record, having ranked on the Vice Chancellor’s Honour List for three consecutive years. She has gained diverse legal experience through her role as an intern at the Bangladesh Centre for Ocean Law and Policy (BCOLP), serving as a Course Coordinator under the Deputy Director for the 2nd BCOLP Academy 2026. She is actively engaged in mooting and advocacy, achieving notable success, including Best Mooter awards and top rankings at several national and international moot court competitions.
Outreach and Collaborations
Samiha Noshin Sampritee is a recent law graduate from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, and is currently pursuing a Master of Laws in International Law. She has gained experience working with both national and international organisations, including the National Human Rights Commission, UNDP Bangladesh, and HEKS/EPER Switzerland, contributing to the promotion and protection of human rights, particularly for marginalised communities in Bangladesh. Alongside her academic pursuits, she brings valuable experience in volunteerism, research, and content writing, and has actively contributed to legal seminars and advocacy initiatives.
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