The School of Law of Bangladesh Open University is a newly re-established academic home for the study of law through open and distance learning, created to meet the growing need for accessible, flexible, and high-quality legal education in Bangladesh.

Originally established on 11 October 2005 under the leadership of then Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. M. Ershadul Bari, the School was created with the important objective of broadening access to legal education for learners from varied social and economic backgrounds. This was a significant and forward-looking initiative, especially in a country where many aspiring students face geographical, financial, occupational barriers.

Following an administrative decision of the Board of Governors on 3 September 2009, the School’s separate academic activities were temporarily suspended and its programs were transferred to the School of Social Science, Humanities and Languages. Even during that period, the LLB (Honours) and LLM programs continued, ensuring continuity in legal learning and allowing the discipline of law to remain active within the university. In response to the increasing demand for dedicated legal education and the growing importance of law in contemporary society, the university authority under the leadership of the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor had taken the visionary step of re-establishing the School of Law as an independent academic unit. This development marked a significant institutional milestone and reflected the university’s renewed commitment to legal education, research, and public service.

The re-launch of the School of Law represents more than an administrative restoration. It is an affirmation of a broader academic mission: to create a law school that is accessible, intellectually strong, socially responsive, and internationally engaged. The School seeks to build a learning environment that promotes analytical excellence, ethical awareness, and professional readiness.

In alignment with the best traditions of leading law schools, the School of Law aims to combine doctrinal depth with contemporary relevance. Its educational philosophy recognizes that law is not static; it evolves with society, technology, politics, and global change. For this reason, the School seeks to prepare students for the realities of legal practice as well as the broader demands of justice, governance, and reform.

The School is committed to fostering a culture of academic inquiry, critical reflection, and social responsibility. It places importance on legal research, public engagement, and community-oriented initiatives that contribute to access to justice and legal awareness. Through this approach, the School aspires to support not only professional development but also civic leadership and social transformation.

By drawing on the flexible learning model of Bangladesh Open University, the School of Law aims to create opportunities for those who might otherwise remain excluded from higher legal education. By such approach, it extends the reach of legal knowledge and strengthens the university’s broader mission of inclusive national development.

Mission

The School of Law, Bangladesh Open University, is guided by a mission to:

1. Expand and Democratise Access to Legal Education
Deliver affordable, flexible, and high-quality legal education through open and distance learning, removing geographic, economic, and social barriers that have historically excluded qualified learners from the legal profession.

2. Uphold Academic Excellence and Curricular Relevance
Offer a rigorous, contemporary curriculum that integrates foundational legal doctrine with evolving national legislation, comparative law, and international legal standards. Academic programmes are reviewed continuously to reflect emerging legal developments, technological change, and the shifting demands of the legal profession.

3. Cultivate Ethical, Competent, and Socially Responsible Lawyers
Develop graduates who are not only technically proficient but who embody the highest standards of professional ethics, intellectual integrity, and civic commitment. Legal professionals trained at this School are expected to be advocates not only for their clients but for justice itself.

4. Advance Legal Scholarship and Research
Promote and support rigorous scholarly inquiry into areas of pressing national and global significance, including constitutional law, human rights, gender justice, access to justice, child protection, disability rights, environmental law, and digital regulation. The School aspires to contribute meaningfully to legal reform, policy development, and the evolution of legal thought.

5. Strengthen Community Engagement and Access to Justice
Foster a culture of pro bono service, legal awareness, and community outreach. The School engages with marginalised populations, civil society organisations, and state institutions to bridge the gap between legal knowledge and lived experience — translating academic inquiry into tangible social impact.

6. Develop Professional Skills and Practical Competencies
Incorporate skills-based learning — including legal writing, oral advocacy, negotiation, client counselling, and legal research methodology — throughout the curriculum. Clinical legal education, moot court competitions, and simulated practice environments prepare students for the realities of professional legal work.

7. Build National and International Partnerships
Cultivate strategic academic and professional relationships with universities, law schools, bar associations, international organisations, and development agencies — enhancing knowledge exchange, faculty development, joint research, and the global exposure of our students.

8. Support Lifelong Learning and Continuing Legal Education
Provide advanced and specialised programmes for practising lawyers, judicial officers, government officials, and public servants — enabling continuous professional development in response to the evolving demands of law and governance.

Vision

To become a nationally preeminent and internationally recognised centre of excellence in legal education, scholarship, and community engagement — advancing justice, upholding human rights, and strengthening the rule of law through an inclusive, innovative, and globally connected open learning environment.