DFDL Bangladesh > Dhaka, Bangladesh > Firm Profile

DFDL Bangladesh
5TH FLOOR, HOUSE #153, ROAD #11
BANANI, BLOCK – E
DHAKA 1213
Bangladesh

Email firm Visit website 88 02 9862510

Bangladesh > Banking and finance Tier 2

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.

Bangladesh > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Seen by clients as ‘a high-quality firm providing broad legal support for foreign multinationals entering Bangladesh’, DFDL Bangladesh often handles large foreign investment matters, and ‘is recommended for its ability to guide international clients through the complexities of investing in Bangladesh.’ Managing director Shahwar Jamal Nizam has been key in the group’s ability to assist international clients with their first investments into Bangladesh, utilising is ‘very broad network, both with international law firms and companies within Bangladesh’. Tarannum Tasnim and Mahboob Aziz and are also notable members of the team.

Practice head(s):

Shahwar Nizam

Other key lawyers:

Tarannum Tasnim; Mahboob Aziz, Saif Bhuiyan

Testimonials

‘Shahwar Nizam and the team are a great corporate practice in Dhaka. They provide international levels of service and are recommended for their ability to guide international clients through the complexities of investing in Bangladesh.’

‘The team is responsive, thorough and are a pleasure to work with. They are clearly focussed on building long-term relationships with their clients and invest time and effort in getting to know their clients.’

‘Shahwar Nizam has worked tirelessly to build a strong bench of practitioners, including Tarannum Tasnim on the finance side and Mahboob Aziz and Saif Bhuiyan on the corporate side.’

‘I have worked with the team for many years and can highly recommend them for their perseverance and hard work.’

‘A high-quality firm providing broad legal support for foreign multinationals entering Bangladesh. Very personal and responsive approach. Also pleasant to work with a law firm with good relationships with their client and apparently within the firm, and also maintains high ethical standards.’

‘The senior partner Shawar Nizam is outstanding and has a very broad network, both with (international) law firms as well as within Bangladesh to assist foreign investors.’

Key clients

SHV Energy

Kai Heng Long Ltd.

Actis GP LLP

Nebras Power Investment Management B.V.

Pinnacle Towers Ltd. backed by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co

Work highlights

Assisted a client with its investment in the Singapore holding company of SureCash.
Acted for Actis as legal counsel in the acquisition of a 220 MW combined cycle gas turbine project under development at Bhola, Bangladesh, from Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Capital Company Private Limited.
Assisted Kai Heng Long Ltd. with the acquisition of a Sri Lankan and UAE owned joint venture called Laugfs Gas (Bangladesh) Ltd.

The firm: DFDL was established in 1994 and built on a unique vision: to create an integrated legal, tax and investment advisory firm, with in-depth knowledge of the jurisdictions we work in, providing technical excellence across our core areas of expertise.

Over twenty years later, DFDL continues to build on its reputation as the obvious first- choice firm for sophisticated transactions in frontier markets across Asia and beyond.

As these markets continue to expand and thrive, so has DFDL and we are now uniquely positioned to help clients access investment opportunities in the world’s most dynamic region.

Areas of practice: DFDL Bangladesh is a full-service law firm in Dhaka, Bangladesh combining both international offshore expertise with dedicated local know-how, expertise, and experience in a variety of practice areas including energy and infrastructure, banking and finance (including project, international trade and structured finance), corporate and corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, employment, general commercial matters, and other areas.

Our advisers at DFDL Bangladesh are currently advising a number of major international banks on a variety of offshore and onshore financings, numerous sponsors of major greenfield IPPs, and various entities on a range of corporate and other finance transactions.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Bangladesh (all practice areas)	Shahwar Nizam	Shahwar.Nizam@dfdl.com

Name	Position	Profile
Mahboob Aziz	Partner	View Profile
Abu Naser	Senior Associate	View Profile
Shahwar Jamal Nizam	Partner and Managing Director, Bangladesh	View Profile
Tarannum Tasnim	Partner	View Profile