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Firms in the Spotlight Banking and finance

Rahman & Rabbi Legal

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Rahman & Rabbi Legal is headed by Md. Monzur Rabbi, Barrister and a Fulbright Scholar on International Arbitration. Rahman & Rabbi Legal delivers timely and cost-effective solutions in contracts and transactions with an emphasis on thorough investigation and meticulous planning.

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Banking and finance in Bangladesh

A.S & Associates

What makes the practice unique at A.S & Associates is the one-stop solution they can provide to cater to the full-range of legal needs’. Compliance expert Ferdausur Rahman runs the banking and finance team and, as well as frequently acting on non-contentious matters, is an advocate in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and is praised as ‘proactive and capable of providing out-of-the-box and pragmatic solutions.’ Habib Rahman is also commended for ‘his depth of knowledge, ability to navigate complex commercial transactions and ability to deliver results’.

Practice head(s):

Ferdausur Rahman


Other key lawyers:

Habib Rahaman


Testimonials

‘What makes the practice unique is the one-stop solution they can provide to cater to the full-range of legal needs. Their practice is not a one-man practice but has the benefit of having a strong mid-level and junior tier.’

‘As a service recipient, I appreciated the width and breadth of the firm, the excellent and impressive legal and market knowledge they had and how they were able to translate that into practical and commercial situation. They are responsive, structured and work like a corporate unit capable of providing value-added creative solutions.’

‘I was impressed with one of their senior associates, Habib Rahaman, due to his depth of knowledge, ability to navigate complex commercial transactions and ability to deliver results.’

Key clients

American & Efrid (Bangladesh) Ltd.


Ace Advisory


Alcon


ALS Firms Limited


Amzi & Associates


APM Global Logistics


Bangladesh Limited


Banco Securities Limited


Beijing Deheng Law Firm


Beijing Kangda Law Firm


Bangladesh Clinical Trials Limited


Benetton


Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association


Bangladesh Power Development Board, BPDB


Bird & Bird LLP


Cactus Materials Limited


Capital Alliance Limited


Classic FoodLab Limited


China Exim Bank Limited


China Railway Engineering


responsAbility Investments AG


Work highlights


  • Advised Midland Bank Limited on issuance of zero coupon bond in an amount of BDT. 3.5bln.
  • Advised responsAbility Investments AG on structuring of foreign debt financing and term loan facility available for climate financing development goals.

Doulah & Doulah

Doulah & Doulah's multidisciplinary team is ‘very well placed to give clear advice with regard to all legal issues'. The group is led by A B M Nasirud Doulah 'a trusted partner in Bangladesh’. One of the group’s strengths lies in transactions, particularly those with cross-border elements across a range of sectors. As well as handing a multitude of corporate finance mandates, for which Amina Khatoon is often called upon, the group is also commended for its ‘very good cooperation and very comprehensive assistance regarding complex loan structures.’ In the banking sector more specifically, it advises clients in cross-border financings, factoring, and other foreign exchange matters.

Practice head(s):

A.B.M. Nasirud Doulah


Other key lawyers:

Amina Khatoon


Testimonials

‘The Doulah team has proven to be very reliable with their advice and have the capability to cover most of the key areas of law where local support is needed (including competition and tax).’

‘Nasirud Doulah is very easy to deal with and very responsive. He is a trusted partner in Bangladesh.’

‘The firm is very well-placed to give clear advice with regard to all legal issues.’

‘A.B.M. Nasirud Doulah has excellent knowledge concerning local approval processes with regard to import transactions and related loan facilities, as well as the creation of loan collaterals, such as pledge of fixed assets.’

‘Very good cooperation and very comprehensive assistance regarding complex loan structures.’

Key clients

Commerzbank


Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation


Islamic Development Bank


Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited


The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector


Export Import Bank of China


China Development Bank


China Agricultural Bank


China CITIC Bank


Mashreq Bank


Deutsche Bank


Commerzbank


Akabank


Landesbank


BHF Bank


Work highlights


  • Advising Asian Development Bank on various aspects of its trade finance arrangements with a large number of private banks in Bangladesh.
  • Acting as Sponsors Counsel for $139m financing by Development Bank of Singapore in Dhaka North 36MW Waste to Energy power plant.
  • Acting for a consortium of Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Ltd., China CITIC Bank and China Development Bank on the financing of $412m in a PPP toll road project.

Mahbub & Company

Practitioners who are part of Mahbub & Company's team in Dhaka ‘provide personalised solutions in a quick and efficient manner', and often appear in court, as the firm has an excellent reputation for banking litigation, regularly handling complex Supreme Court matters. The diverse workload undertaken by the group includes mandates both in the traditional banking and the emerging fintech sectors, and it is lauded for its ‘vast knowledge of industries, from small company policies to wider legal advice.’ Practice head Saqeb Mahbub is a banking litigation and fintech expert, emblematic of the whole group, and is well supported by Tasmiah Zaman and Rifat Rahman at associate level.

Practice head(s):

Saqeb Mahbub


Other key lawyers:

Rifat Rahman; Tasmiah Zaman


Testimonials

‘Mahbub provides personalised solutions in a quick and efficient manner. They also do not hesitate to seek clarification when facts presented are unclear.’

‘We have been associated with Mahbub for more than 3 years. This statement itself showcase their strength and our trust in their services. They have vast knowledge of industries, from small company policies to wider legal advice.’

‘Saqeb Mahbub and Tasmiah Zaman have been great support for our firm.’

‘Special mention to Tasmiah Zaman, who has been handling our account and has always helped us with government work, banking work and with other related documents.’

‘The firm has a very good banking and finance practice. Their knowledge of banking regulations, corporate governance in banks and also banking-related disputes is exceptional.’

‘Saqeb Mahbub has advised us on our banking and finance matters. He is a very talented lawyer with very good attention to detail.’

Key clients

Italia Wanbao-ACC S.r.l.


Mastercard


DHL Global Forwarding Bangladesh


Fourth Partner Energy Bangladesh Limited


Dream’s Power Private Limited


Mostafa Group


Sena Kalyan Sangstha


Metro Homes


Pragati Life Insurance


Singtel


Terrapay


City Bank Limited


Mutual Trust Bank Limited


Multiplier


KEXIM


Work highlights


  • Advised Export-Import Bank of Korea on its cross-border development assistance loans to government entities in Bangladesh and procurement practices.
  • Advised and represented Singapore’s largest telecommunication network on a bank debt claim which has arisen out of their shareholding in a Bangladeshi entity.
  • Advised the world’s second largest payment processing corporation on fintech regulatory compliance and corporate restructuring in Bangladesh.

TANJIB ALAM & ASSOCIATES

TANJIB ALAM & ASSOCIATES fields a team which handles matters for both Australian and multinational banks and financial institutions, including Citibank N.A. and HSBC Bangladesh. Practitioners represent lenders in many matters concerning syndicated loan facilities, project finance, term loan facilities, and bonds. Heading up the team is corporate law expert and litigator Tanjib-Ul Alam, a key team member when it comes to regulatory issues in the banking sectors, utilising experience gained from a long history of assisting foreign investors with regulatory issues. Another standout team member is Kazi Ershadul Alam, who regularly works on high-value financial transactions in Bangladesh.

Practice head(s):

Tanjib-ul Alam; Kazi Ershadul Alam; M Saquibuzzaman


Key clients

Bangladesh Bank


Mashreq Bank Psc


Eastern Bank Limited


The City Bank Limited


Woori Bank Limited


Prime Bank Limited


Citibank N.A.


The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited


Jamuna Bank Limited


IDLC Finance Limited


The Law Counsel

Lawyers in the team at The Law Counsel are praised for being ‘highly educated, skilled, and experienced', and the banking and finance department boasts practitioners who are certified Shari'ah consultants, leaving it well-placed to advise clients on Shari’ah aspects of finance. These practitioners in the team include Abdur Razzaq, Ehsan Abdullah Siddiq, and Imran Siddiq, who are the trio leading the practice. They form a strong banking litigation practice which offers clients a great deal of experience in administrative and banking law. Associate Syed Mohammad Raihan Uddin is unique in his considerable expertise in drafting complex financial contracts, as well as being well-versed in Islamic finance matters, counting Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd as a key client.

Practice head(s):

Abdur Razzaq; Ehsan Siddiq; Imran Siddiq


Other key lawyers:

Syed Mohammad Raihan Uddin


Testimonials

‘I am very happy with their services. The success rate is very high.’

‘The individuals working as partners, associates or other consultants are highly educated, skilled, and experienced and the firm has very good administration.’

Key clients

Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd.


Johnson Wilshire Inc., USA


Work highlights


  • Acting for Islami bank Bangladesh Limited as Common Legal Counsel in a syndicated financing arrangement valued at USD74.10m for establishing a 113MW Power Plant in Bangladesh with Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. as the lead financier.
  • Represented Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited in the loan recovery courts, recovering $97.4m against Delta Spinning Mills Limited.
  • Advised Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited on a pari passu security sharing agreement with the Infrastructure Development Company Limited in relation to a loan facility of $34.92m.

Bangladesh Law Partners | BDLP

At Bangladesh Law Partners | BDLP, ‘knowledgeable and approachable’ group head Shajib Mahmood Alam utilises his skills as ‘a master problem solver' to assist clients with banking and finance matters and as a qualified barrister in Bangladesh. The team as a whole is lauded as ‘a diverse group of lawyers who have a strong local presence’, and the group counts large companies, start-ups, and mid-size companies in the country within its client roster. Md Rafinur Rahman is also a standout trial lawyer in the team, and often appears in court.

Practice head(s):

Shajib Mahmood Alam


Other key lawyers:

Md Rafinur Rahman


Testimonials

‘Shajib Mahmood Alam is a master problem solver.’

‘They are very efficient and understanding.’

‘I always found their service prompt. Good knowledge of state law and supportive attitude towards its clients.’

‘Honest advice and good attitude. I always get the solution to any type of legal issue.’

‘I found the team to be very responsive and understanding of business needs.’

‘Shajib Mahmood Alam in particular is quite knowledgeable and approachable. This combination is highly appreciated as it has helped me get swift legal advice every time.’

‘The team is a diverse group of lawyers who have a strong local presence. This is a team that always shows excellent dedication to work. They research and communicate exceptionally well.’

‘Shajib Mahmood Alam is very attentive to the needs of his client and is a very approachable individual. He explains things very smoothly which shows the true depth of knowledge and understanding he possesses.’

Key clients

China Railway Group Ltd.


Malaysia Airlines Berhad


Siemens Industrial Ltd.


Unique Hotel & Resorts Plc


Envelope Group LLC


IQ Apparels LLC


Philips


Crown Cement Plc


VIVO Mobile (Haicheng Mobile Co. Ltd.)


Unique Share Management Ltd.


Borak Real Estate Ltd.


El Corte Ingles, S.A


Stamford University Bangladesh


Hallo BD Gadgets Ltd.


Yangming Hanhai BD Ltd.


Z&T Consultancy


The Sheraton Dhaka


The Westin Dhaka


Daily Amader Shomoy


Brothers Shipping Lines


Al-Furqan Agro Ltd.


Mastermind Abacus Ltd.


Lisianthus Fashion Ltd.


SPAN BD LTD


Wizkit Global Ltd.


Work highlights


  • Advised Unique Share Management on SEC Regulations and the expansion of its operation.
  • Advised Brothers Shipping Lines on the purchase of a jetty.
  • Advised a local conglomerate on a joint investment with a foreign chain of hotels and a hotel management agreement.

DFDL Bangladesh

Shahwar Jamal Nizam leads the banking and finance team at DFDL Bangladesh, whose highlights in 2022 and 2023 included assisting two of the biggest finance companies in the world on their potential investments in Bangladesh. Within the group, there is international offshore expertise, as well as experience working on major transactions and financing deals domestically. Tarannum Tasnim and Mahboob Aziz regularly handle litigious matters for the team. Its structure is similar to that of an international law firm, which helps the group when handling cross-border matters.

Practice head(s):

Shahwar Jamal Nizam


Other key lawyers:

Tarannum Tasnim; Mahboob Aziz


Testimonials

‘Well-developed team who are responsive.’

‘Shahwah Jamal Nizam is a good client lawyer, responsive and commercial.’

Key clients

Actis


Nebras


Asian Development Bank


Pinnacle Towers backed by KKR


IDCOL


Standard Chartered Bank


OPEC Fund


IFC


Work highlights


  • Advising EPV Thakurgaon Limited on developing, operating, and financing a 115 MW HFO based combined cycle power plant located in the Thaurgaon district of Bangladesh.
  • Advising the lenders namely AIIB, DEG, OPEC Fund and Standard Charted Bank on the financing of Unique Meghnaghat Power Limited, which is developing a 584 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant in Narayanganj, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
  • Advising Infrastructure Development Company Limited and OPEC Fund for International Development on providing financing of aggregate facility of £150m to Energon Renewables (BD) Limited for developing and operating a 100 MW solar power project in Mongla, Bangladesh.