LocationsFuture Lawyers Gain First-hand Experience of Justice and Humanitarian Protection in Cox’s Bazar
August 25, 2026
Interns in front of Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre
Event Details
August 19, 2026
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August 20, 2026
Rohingya Camps, Cox's Bazar
For young law graduates, understanding how legal principles operate beyond classrooms and textbooks is critical to becoming effective and responsible legal professionals. The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) Internship Programme, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangladesh, seeks to bridge this gap by giving aspiring lawyers practical exposure to legal institutions, professional ethics and emerging areas of law.
As part of this learning journey, 23 interns travelled to Cox’s Bazar on 19 August 2026, for a two-day programme focused on justice, human rights, refugee protection and humanitarian law in the context of the Rohingya refugee response.
On day one, at the UNDP Sub-Office in Cox’s Bazar, interns were introduced to the work of UNDP and its partners in the Rohingya refugee response. Representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) briefed the interns on their mandates and work with Rohingya communities.
The interns then participated in a workshop on International Criminal Law (ICL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) facilitated by Legal Action Worldwide (LAW).
The sessions covered international court systems, crimes, modes of liability, available defences and the domestic application of ICL, including universal jurisdiction, and explored the application of IHL in different types of conflict and its relationship with international human rights law. A scenario-based group exercise allowed the participants to apply these legal principles to a fictional displacement and violence context.
Reflecting on the experience, Orin Sarker, an intern from BRAC University, said, “Law on paper can be full of principles and ideals, but seeing how it works in practice gave us a much more complex perspective. The experience also showed that many people work quietly on the ground to make those principles meaningful in the lives of others. It reminded me that meaningful change often comes through sustained efforts, even when the challenges are difficult.”
Interns visiting Rohingya Camps in Cox's Bazar
On the second day, the interns visited Camp 18 in Ukhiya. At the UNHCR-supported BLAST Legal Assistance Centre, they learned about services available for refugees, common legal and protection concerns, referral mechanisms, and the challenges of providing legal assistance in a humanitarian setting. They also discussed case management, community outreach and dispute resolution.
At the Camp-in-Charge (CiC) Office, the interns learned about the Government’s role in camp-level administration and coordination with the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC), UN agencies, and NGO partners. Discussions covered community feedback and referral mechanisms, complaints and assistance, the role of community representatives, and the handling of protection, security, and dispute-related issues.
The programme concluded with a visit to the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre, where Rohingya volunteers welcomed the team through a community-led tour that introduced all to Rakhine lands, traditions, livelihoods, food, crafts, and heritage, highlighting the importance of cultural identity, collective memory and resilience.
Tawsif Mottaki Chowdhury, from the University of Chittagong, said, “I’m deeply grateful to UNDP for facilitating this journey. Visiting the Rohingya community reminded me of a simple truth: we are all human, separated not by our differences, but too often by tragedies. I learnt how legal assistance and humanitarian services come together in practice, and how important it is for lawyers to understand the context and engage with affected communities responsibly.”
The two-day visit helped interns move beyond technical legal knowledge by connecting legal principles with the realities of humanitarian and protection work, strengthening their understanding of how lawyers can uphold rights, dignity and access to justice in complex settings.
