About Me

Shyikh Mahdi

Shyikh Mahdi is a Bangladeshi lawyer qualified as both an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and a Barrister (Non-practising) of the Bar Council of England and Wales. He currently serves as a Prosecutor (Assistant Attorney General) at the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh, with a practice focused on international crimes, human rights, and humanitarian law.

Mr. Mahdi began his legal career in Bangladesh in 2015. He gained experience in civil, commercial, and corporate law while working with prominent Dhaka firms like Vertex Chambers and The Law Counsel. In these roles, he advised multinational corporations, private enterprises, start-ups, and non-profits on matters spanning banking, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, and energy. His dispute resolution experience includes appearances before various courts, tribunals, and arbitration panels in civil, criminal, and commercial matters.

From 2018 to 2019, Mr. Mahdi broadened his multi-jurisdictional experience working at a solicitors’ firm in London. He has also served as an Expert Witness (Country Expert) on Bangladesh before the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration & Asylum Chamber) and the Upper Tribunal of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Mahdi has been involved in significant constitutional matters in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He was an Intervenor (No. 10) in Dr. Badiul Alam Mazumdar & Others vs. Bangladesh, reported in 33 BLT (2025) HCD 439, a case where the High Court Division declared parts of the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution illegal, restoring the provision for a non-party caretaker government. He was also a petitioner (No. 6) in Saddam Hossen & Others vs. Bangladesh (Writ Petition No. 10356 of 2024), which successfully challenged an amendment to Article 116 of the Constitution, thereby reinforcing the separation of powers by returning control of the subordinate courts to the Supreme Court.

During the student-led movement in July 2024, he participated in an initiative providing legal support to protesting students and citizens. Subsequently, he assumed his current prosecutorial role at the International Crimes Tribunal, which was reconstituted to address crimes against humanity alleged to have occurred in July and August 2024.

Professional Qualifications

Advocate, Bangladesh Bar Council
Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh (High Court Division)
Barrister-at-Law (Non-practising), Bar Council of England & Wales
Former Associate Member (ACIArb) of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), UK

Educational Qualifications

University of Dhaka, Bangladesh: LLB (Honours)
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh: LLM
Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom: LLM with Distinction
BPP University, United Kingdom: Bar Transfer Test (BTT)

Notable Cases (Decided)

ATM Azharul Islam vs. Chief Prosecutor, International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh, Criminal Appeal No. 38 of 2025 (Appellate Division) ~ Application of customary international law and reversal of the position in international criminal law jurisprudence of Bangladesh;
Badiul Alam Mazumdar & Others vs. Bangladesh & Others, Writ Petition No. 9935 of 2024 (High Court Division) ~ Legality of the 15th Amendment of the Constitution and restoration of the caretaker government;
Md. Saddam Hossen & Others vs. Bangladesh & Others, Writ Petition No. 10356 of 2024 (High Court Division) ~ Legality of the amendment to Article 116 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, and direction for a separate Judicial Secretariat;
Aircom Media Ltd. vs. Government of Bangladesh & Others, Writ Petition No. 15105 of 2024 (High Court Division) ~ Maintainability of Writ despite not invoking an equal efficacious remedy, i.e., an arbitration mechanism, when clear proof of fraud and/or violation of natural justice;
Chief Prosecutor vs. Sheikh Hasina & Another, ICT BD (Contempt) Misc. Case No. 01 of 2025 (ICT-1) ~ Application of digital forensic analysis in considering contempt of court matters;
Chief Prosecutor vs. Sheikh Hasina & Others, ICT BD Case No. 02 of 2025 (ICT-1) ~ International Criminal Law prosecution on the atrocities committed in July 2024 across Bangladesh;
Chief Prosecutor vs. Md. Sujon Hossain & Others, ICT BD Case No. 01 of 2025 (ICT-1) ~ International Criminal Law prosecution on the atrocities committed in July 2024 in Chankharpul, Dhaka;
Chief Prosecutor vs. Saiful Islam & Others, ICT BD Case No. 02 of 2025 (ICT-2) ~ International Criminal Law prosecution on the atrocities committed in July 2024 in Savar, Dhaka;
Chief Prosecutor vs. Prof. Hasibur Rashid & Others, ICT BD Case No. 01 of 2025 (ICT-2) ~ International Criminal Law prosecution on the atrocities committed in July 2024 in Rangpur (Abu Sayeed Case);

Reported Cases

Dr. Badiul Alam Mazumdar & Others vs. Bangladesh, 20 SCOB (2025) HCD 97; 33 BLT (2025) HCD 439 (as Intervenor)
Chief Prosecutor vs. Sheikh Hasina & Another (Contempt of Court), 33 BLT (2025) ICT 01 (as Prosecutor)

Expert Reports accepted in English Courts

M Solim vs. Secretary of State for the Home Department (First-Tier Tribunal, April 2021)
M Rahman vs. Secretary of State for the Home Department (First-Tier Tribunal, October 2023)
M Molla vs. Secretary of State for the Home Department (Upper Tribunal, January 2026)

Outside the Courtroom

Adjunct faculty member (Associate Professor) at Daffodil International University and Presidency University
Director of Legal Affairs of “Socchar (সোচ্চার)” – Torture Watchdog Bangladesh”
Co-founder and Partner of “Denning Law Institute”
Adjudicator of various International Moot Court Competitions, including Jessup (International Law), Stetson (Environmental Law), Henry Dunant (Humanitarian Law), Willem C. Vis East (Commercial Arbitration), and ELSA UK COMMOOT (Financial Law).
Adviser to the President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) (June 2025 to March 2026).
Member of the “Reform Committee for the Sports” initiated by the Interim Government at the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Government of Bangladesh (June 2025 to December 2025).