Syed Afzal Hasan Uddin

Practice Areas

Afzal's practice areas include, among others, aviation, company matters, mergers and acquisitions, commercial law, gas and oil exploration, power generation, telecommunications, information technology, copyright laws, arbitration, and foreign exchange transactions. He has also provided legal services to the ADB and has experience in the consortium looking into the Privatisation and Corporatisation of Biman Bangladesh Airlines as part of a World Bank-funded project.

Career

Afzal's career in law began after he completed his BSc (Hons) in Chemistry and Management from King’s College, London in 1993. He pursued a postgraduate Diploma in Law in 1994 from Southbank University and was called to the Bar from Lincoln’s Inn, London in March 1996. In 2001, Afzal became an Advocate of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Prior to joining Chambers, Afzal worked for the Civil Litigation Department of Price Waterhouse in London from October 1995 to February 1998. He joined Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed & Associates in March 1998 and has since been involved in commercial law matters.

Afzal's expertise in Chambers lies in advising clients in the areas of gas and oil exploration, power generation, and telecommunications. He is well-versed with the regulatory commission and its law, and regularly drafts opinions and reviews regulatory issues and licensing matters for private telecommunication operators. He has experience in arbitration on behalf of a private telecom operator against a government-owned and controlled operator.

Afzal was also involved in negotiating and reviewing loan documentation for a multi-million dollar international and local syndicated loan for a private telecom operator. He attended a seminar on ‘UK Oil and Gas Law’ presented by the Centre of Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee in Edinburgh in conjunction with the law firm Cameron Mckenna, London. He also attended a seminar and workshop on ‘Petroleum Operations under the Bangladesh PSC Regime’ by Dennis C. Stickley.

In addition to his work in telecommunications, Afzal has been involved in reviewing proposed/draft legislation circulated by the Law Reform Commission on information technology and copyright laws. He also advised the Law Reform Commission on suggested amendments to the newly enacted Arbitration Act 2001.

Afzal provided legal services to the ADB as an external legal consultant on the Ashuganj Power Plant Corporatisation Project. He was also closely involved in the consortium looking into the Privatisation and Corporatisation of Biman Bangladesh Airlines as part of a World Bank-funded project. He is familiar with the Guidelines for Foreign Exchange Transactions and has liaised with senior officials of Bangladesh Bank, including the Governor, on several occasions on behalf of banks.

Afzal has experience in the arbitration process conducted under the Rules of Conciliation and Arbitration of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. He has also successfully assisted in defending a client before the World Bank Administrative Tribunal.

Overall, Afzal's impressive career in commercial law has allowed him to gain extensive knowledge and expertise in various areas, including telecommunications, power generation, and information technology. His experience in arbitration and regulatory issues has made him a highly valuable asset to Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed & Associates.