Accord Chambers

Managing Partner: Suhan Khan

Senior Partner: Mamun Chowdhury

Number of Partners: 4

Number of lawyers: 22

Languages: English, Bangla

Firm Overview:

ACCORD CHAMBERS is one of Bangladesh’s leading full-service law firms based in Dhaka, which offers “complete legal solutions” to its domestic and international clients and addresses all concerns in the corporate and commercial context. The firm advises not only on mainstream legal affairs, including arbitration and litigation, but also on investments, transactions, business strategies, and operations from the perspective of Bangladeshi laws and regulations. ACCORD CHAMBERS has been at the forefront of not only some of the major transactions and deals but also multiple large-scale projects of national importance. It has also successfully represented clients not only in contentious shipping matters and commercial litigations inside Bangladesh but also beyond borders in several international arbitrations.

Unmatched Experience:

Oil & Gas, Power & Energy:

■ Advising leading US-based oil and gas exploration & production company responsible for over 60% of Bangladesh's natural gas production under production sharing contracts with the Government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Oil, Gas & Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla)

■ Undertook due diligence for Japan's leading oil exploration company in regard to joint venture oil & gas exploration project with state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX).

■ Advising the Bangladesh branch of the Russian state atomic energy corporation pertaining to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, a first-of-its-kind, US$ 12.65 billion project for generating 2.4GWe of energy.

■ Advising China's leading state-owned enterprises undertaking major power and energy infrastructure projects in Bangladesh, facilitating their investments and construction contracts in Bangladesh.

■ Successfully advised in the construction of Bangladesh's first private sector bitumen plant worth US$200 million extending over 63 acres of land.

■ Advising Bangladesh's largest private oil & gas company for a US$ 2 billion petrochemical complex plant project, including complete project documentation and negotiation

■ Advising on a US$ 1.2 billion mega-oil refinery project involving the country’s largest syndicated loan

■ Currently engaged with due diligence for multiple independent power projects (IPP) and advising foreign investors on project land acquisition & regulatory compliance

Construction & Infrastructure:

■ Advised a leading global rail construction engineering company undertaking work for Bangladesh's MRT metro-rail projects in Dhaka city.

■ Advised a Korean contractor company with legal and regulatory compliance in Bangladesh pertaining to a construction contract for airport development works in Dhaka Airport's Third Terminal

■ Advised Chinese construction company regarding construction contract with Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) in regards its Sylhet Airport project.

■ Advising Bangladesh's leading conglomerate in relation to the construction of a jetty and multi-purpose commercial seaport

■ Advised a telecom tower company on agreements with mobile phone operators and telecom regulators

■ Negotiated and drafted multiple contracts for the construction of cement grinding units in Bangladesh by Danish and German engineering companies

■ Advising a construction company in a railway project of Bangladesh Railway in joint venture with an international rail construction contractor

■Drafted agreements with Dhaka City Corporation for public roads and roundabout maintenance project inside Dhaka city

■Advised for the construction of a state-of-the art specialised hospital

■Advising Bangladesh’s largest real estate and township company for the last 15 years and undertaking legal vetting for land purchase, acquisition and township projects M&A and Transactional:

■Advised a US corporation in the acquisition of a leading Bangladeshi tech company

■ Facilitated a Swedish joint venture (JV) project. Undertook investment structuring, drafted Joint Venture Agreement, incorporated JVC etc.

■Advised in the acquisition of a 54.5 MW power plant including due diligence and project documentation

■Advising prospective foreign investors for investments in multiple IPP power projects

■Advised two Netherlands based venture capital firms with its investments in Bangladeshi start-ups

■Advising a Dubai based investments advisory firm on securities laws and regulatory frameworks of Bangladesh

■Undertook complete negotiation for the buyer’s side in the acquisition of a Ready-Made Garment (RMG) factory originally owned by a Japanese subsidiary

Arbitration:

■ Successfully represented French contractors as lead counsels in ICC international arbitration seated in Singapore arising out of a construction dispute

■ Successfully defended Bangladeshi conglomerates in three separate international arbitrations before GAFTA, London arising out of commercial and maritime disputes

■ Representing a Bangladeshi hospital in a construction dispute arbitration

■ Representing a Bangladeshi dredging company in a dispute arising out of government dredging project

■ Representing a Russian state-owned company in arbitration proceedings arising in connection with nuclear power plant

■ Representing a global commodities supplier in the enforcement of arbitration award Contentious Shipping and Commercial Litigations:

■ Representing a Singaporean oil co. & Malaysian insurance co. in civil litigation arising out of complex oil supply disputes

■ Successfully defended a global marine fuel reseller in admiralty suit in Bangladesh

■ Representing a middle-eastern oil company in admiralty suit culminating in settlement

■ Defending a Swiss corporation in shipping dispute litigation with a Chinese company

■ Representing a Japanese company in a trade dispute with its Bangladeshi counterparts

Employment & Labour:

■ Represented a multinational tobacco company in litigations before the Labour Court

■ Drafted employee manual, employment terms and appointment letter for a French multi-national construction contractor

■ Advised a USAID chief of party on employee separation and settlement packages for Bangladesh

■ Drafted Employee Handbook for Bangladeshi subsidiary of a multi-national real estate company

■ Representing a multi-national company with litigations arising out of dismissal and termination of its employees

■ Frequently advising foreign corporations on non-contentious employment law matters including drafting standard employment contracts and services rules

PRACTICE AREAS

Admiralty & Shipping

Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

Civil & Commercial Litigation

Construction & Infrastructure

Employment & Labour

Foreign Investment & Management

Intellectual Property & Trademark

General Corporate & Company

Licensing & Regulatory Compliance

Merger, Acquisition & Transactional

Petroleum, Power & Energy

Project Finance

Real Estate & Property

Tax, VAT & Customs

Telecommunications & Technology

Securities & Capital markets