Special Lecture Announcement
The Bangladesh Center for Refugee Law Studies (BCRLS), in collaboration with the NSU Center for Legal Research (NSU CLR), proudly presents a special lecture on:
“Asylum Under International Refugee Law and in South Asia: A Comparative Analysis”
This lecture offers a timely and critical comparative perspective on asylum law in South Asia within the broader framework of international refugee law. It provides an excellent opportunity for aspiring scholars, practitioners, and researchers to deepen their understanding of refugee protection and international legal frameworks.
Program Details: The lecture will be held on 10 April 2026 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Moot Court Room (NAC 616).
Dr. Behrman earned his PhD from Birkbeck, University of London, specializing in the history of asylum, refugee law, and sanctuary movements. His research covers refugee law, climate-induced displacement, and international protection. He has worked with international organizations such as the International Organization for Migration and the Platform for Disaster Displacement. He has previously taught at the University of East Anglia and Royal Holloway, University of London, and has also served as a Visiting Lecturer at LUISS University.
BCRLS Online Lecture Series
This lecture series is ideal for students, researchers, academics, and professionals interested in refugee law, human rights, and global migration governance. Participants may join by paying a nominal fee of BDT 300 (USD 3) for students and BDT 400 (USD 4) for professionals. The registration deadline is 7 April.
The series offers a certificate upon completion, direct learning from internationally renowned experts, and the opportunity to engage with an emerging academic community. It also enhances understanding of contemporary refugee law, builds professional networks, and develops critical thinking on global displacement and protection frameworks.
Edges of Belonging: Migration, Statelessness and Refugeehood
(Leading to a Certificate Course)
This lecture series brings together renowned scholars and experts to explore the complex intersections of law, identity, and displacement. It offers a critical examination of the evolving landscape of migration, statelessness, and refugee protection, while engaging with the legal, political, and humanitarian dimensions of these issues.
In an increasingly fragmented world, the series provides a unique academic platform to rethink the concept of “belonging” and to develop a deeper understanding of contemporary global challenges relating to displacement and protection.
Lecture Schedule
1. IDPs and International Refugee Law
Speaker: Dr. Nafees Ahmad (Associate Professor of Law, South Asian University)
Time: 11 April | 2:00–3:30 PM (BST)
2. Governing Displacement: The UK’s Legal and Political Response to Refugees and Stateless Persons (with discussion in the Bangladesh context)
Speaker: Dr. Jobair Alam (Lecturer in Law, University of Staffordshire)
Time: 12 April | 8:00–9:00 PM (BST)
3. International Refugee Law: Foundations and Turning Points
Speaker: Rutaban Yameen (PhD Candidate, UNSW, Australia)
Time: 18 April | 5:00 PM (BST)
4. Article 1C of the Refugee Convention and Its Contemporary Use
Speaker: Susan Kneebone (Professor, Melbourne Law School)
Time: 24 April | 9:00–10:15 AM (BST)
5. Challenging Beliefs about Communication in Refugee Credibility Assessments
Speaker: Dr. Laura Smith-Khan (Senior Lecturer, University of New England Law School)
Time: 29 April | 3:00–4:30 PM (BST)
6. Refuge from Inhumanity? War Refugees and International Humanitarian Law
Speaker: Professor Dr. David Cantor (Director, Refugee Law Initiative, SOAS, University of London)
Time: 14 May | 1:00–2:00 PM (BST)
7. Of Snakes and Ladders: Global Migration Law and the Global South
Speaker: Dr. Jaya Ramji-Nogales (Professor, Beasley School of Law, Temple University, USA)
Time: 15 May | 7:00 PM (BST)
8. Humanitarian Access and the Legality of Cross-Border Aid to IDPs
Speaker: Dr. Kirsten McConnachie (Professor of Law, University of East Anglia, UK)
Time: 22 May | 6:00–8:00 PM (BST)