TRW & Co · UK–Bangladesh Corridor
Bangladeshi Solicitors in London: UK–Bangladesh Legal Services
Bangladeshi solicitors London families and businesses instruct must apply English and Bangladeshi law together: inheriting land in Bangladesh, executing powers of attorney at the High Commission, recognising marriages and divorces, enforcing judgments and arbitration awards, and investing or trading between the two countries. TRW & Co combines an SRA-regulated London office with its Dhaka headquarters.
Key pointLand in Bangladesh passes under Bangladeshi law and the owner's personal law, whatever a UK will says, while UK Inheritance Tax can still reach it under the long-term residence rules from April 2025.
At a glance
A large corridor
The 2021 Census recorded 644,900 people in England and Wales identifying as Bangladeshi, 1.1% of the population, many with assets in both countries.
POA counter-attestation deadline
The Bangladesh High Commission in London says a power of attorney signed there must be counter-attested by MoFA in Dhaka within 60 days.
Arbitration awards enforceable
Bangladesh has been a New York Convention party since 1992, and its Arbitration Act 2001 allows foreign awards to be enforced like court decrees.
No Hague abduction remedy
Bangladesh is not party to the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention, so preventive orders in England before travel matter greatly.
Apostilles now available
Bangladesh has acceded to the Apostille Convention and issues e-Apostilles, simplifying use of public documents between the UK and Bangladesh.
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What Bangladeshi solicitors London clients need: the UK–Bangladesh legal corridor
Bangladeshi solicitors London families and businesses turn to are usually solving a problem that sits in two legal systems at once. A British Bangladeshi inherits land in Sylhet; a Dhaka exporter is owed money by a UK buyer; a London company sources garments from Chattogram; a couple married in Bangladesh separates in England. Each matter needs English law and Bangladeshi law to be applied together, in the right order.
The corridor is large. At the 2021 Census, 644,900 people in England and Wales identified as Bangladeshi, 1.1% of the population (Ethnicity facts and figures). Many hold property, family ties and business interests in both countries, and trade and investment flows have grown alongside them.
TRW & Co is headquartered in Dhaka, with offices in Chattogram and Sylhet, and its London office is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. That combination lets one team advise on the English side, coordinate the Bangladeshi side and keep both moving to the same timetable.
Two legal systems with a shared heritage
English law and Bangladeshi law share common law roots, which helps. Bangladesh still applies statutes that date from before 1947, including the Code of Civil Procedure 1908, the Contract Act 1872, the Transfer of Property Act 1882 and the Registration Act 1908, and its courts cite English authority. Its Supreme Court has a High Court Division and an Appellate Division.
The systems diverge sharply in three places. First, family law and succession in Bangladesh are governed largely by personal law determined by religion, so the rules for a Muslim, Hindu or Christian family differ. Second, land in Bangladesh is subject to its own registration, mutation and record-of-rights system. Third, Bangladesh operates exchange controls administered by Bangladesh Bank, which affect payments, investment and repatriation of funds.
Procedure matters as much as substance. Civil litigation in Bangladesh can take considerably longer than equivalent proceedings in London, and appeals are common, so mediation, negotiated family settlements and arbitration deserve serious consideration. Evidence gathered in one country may need to be translated, authenticated and presented in a different form before the other country's courts will accept it.
| Issue | Usually governed by | Practical forum |
|---|---|---|
| Land and buildings in Bangladesh | Bangladeshi law (where the land is) | Bangladeshi courts, land offices and sub-registry |
| UK property and UK-resident estates | English law; UK Inheritance Tax | HM Courts & Tribunals Service probate registry; English courts |
| Validity of a Bangladesh marriage | Formalities: law of the place of marriage; capacity: personal law | English courts when the question arises here |
| Divorce of a UK-resident couple | English law in English proceedings | Family Court in England and Wales |
| Commercial contracts | The law the parties choose, often English | Chosen courts or arbitration seat |
| Enforcing an English judgment | Bangladesh Code of Civil Procedure 1908 | Bangladeshi civil courts |
Property, inheritance and powers of attorney
Property is the single most common reason British Bangladeshis need advice in both countries. Land in Bangladesh passes under Bangladeshi law and the deceased's personal law, whatever a UK will says. Heirs normally need an heirship document (a warish certificate) or a court-issued succession certificate, followed by mutation of the land records into their names. Disputes over shares, boundaries and occupation are common, especially when family members in Bangladesh have managed the land for years.
Selling inherited land from the UK adds further steps: all co-heirs must usually join in or be bought out, the records must be up to date, and sale proceeds can only be remitted abroad in line with Bangladesh's foreign exchange rules. Planning the remittance before signing the sale deed avoids funds being trapped. See selling property in Bangladesh from the UK.
Powers of attorney executed in the UK
Most UK-based owners act through a power of attorney. The Bangladesh High Commission in London requires the prescribed government format, proof of Bangladeshi nationality for the executants, the attorney's national ID and property records, and the executants must sign in person before a consular officer. The High Commission states that the attested document must then be counter-attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka within 60 days of signing. Further stamping and filing steps follow under the Powers of Attorney Act 2012.
UK wills and tax on Bangladeshi assets
A UK will can deal with Bangladeshi movable assets, but immovable property will follow local rules and personal law. Many clients use separate wills or a carefully drafted single will after advice in both countries. From 6 April 2025, UK Inheritance Tax on worldwide assets applies to "long-term residents", broadly those UK resident for at least 10 of the previous 20 tax years, so Bangladeshi land may be within the UK tax net.
The UK–Bangladesh double taxation convention covers income and capital gains, not Inheritance Tax. See UK–Bangladesh succession and Bangladesh property from the UK.
A power of attorney for Bangladeshi land should be specific: identify the property by its records, list the exact acts the attorney may take, and set a sensible term. Broad, open-ended powers are a common route to unauthorised sales, and are harder to challenge once registered.
Marriage, divorce and children across both countries
A marriage validly celebrated in Bangladesh is generally recognised in England if it complied with Bangladeshi formalities and both parties had capacity under their personal law. Registration certificates and translated documents are the usual evidence.
Divorce is more complex. Under Part II of the Family Law Act 1986, an overseas divorce obtained "by means of proceedings" is recognised more readily than one obtained without proceedings, and section 46 sets the conditions. A talaq pronounced in the UK is not recognised as a divorce here at all. Couples living in England usually need English divorce and financial remedy proceedings, even if a religious or Bangladeshi divorce has also taken place. Our UK–Bangladesh family team advises on recognition and finances.
Children cases need special care. Bangladesh is not a party to the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention, so the summary return procedure available between Convention states does not apply. Where there is a risk of a child being retained in Bangladesh, protective orders in England before travel are far more effective than proceedings after the event.
Disputes, judgments and arbitration awards
For commercial disputes, the decisive question is often where the defendant's assets are. If they are in Bangladesh, an English judgment must be enforced there. The Code of Civil Procedure 1908 allows direct execution of decrees from superior courts of "reciprocating territories" notified by the government under section 44A; otherwise a fresh suit is brought on the foreign judgment. Either way, the judgment must satisfy the conclusiveness conditions in section 13, which exclude, for example, judgments obtained by fraud or contrary to natural justice.
Confirm the current notification position at the outset of any matter.
Arbitration is often the more reliable route. Bangladesh has been a party to the New York Convention since 1992, and the Arbitration Act 2001 provides for foreign awards to be enforced through the courts as if they were decrees, subject to limited refusal grounds including public policy. In England, the Arbitration Act 2025 modernised London-seated arbitration. See Bangladesh arbitration in London and UK–Bangladesh disputes.
Asset protection and land disputes
Where money has been moved between the two countries, the English High Court can grant freezing injunctions over assets, including worldwide orders in appropriate cases, together with disclosure orders that help trace funds. Bangladeshi solicitors London claimants instruct should act quickly, because these orders are usually sought without notice and depend on showing a real risk of dissipation. See Bangladesh-linked asset recovery.
Land disputes in Bangladesh, such as encroachment, forged deeds or contested mutations, are decided by Bangladeshi courts and land authorities. A UK-based owner can run these proceedings through local lawyers and a properly limited power of attorney, but should expect to provide original records, witness evidence from people on the ground and, at times, attendance in person.
In cross-border disputes, choose the forum by asking where the money is, not where the meeting happened.
Business, trade, investment and immigration
Bangladeshi entrepreneurs set up UK companies to trade, raise capital and access UK customers, and UK businesses invest in or source from Bangladesh. On the UK side, Bangladeshi solicitors London businesses instruct handle incorporation, Companies House identity verification for directors, contracts and immigration sponsorship. On the Bangladeshi side, foreign investment is facilitated by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, and payments are subject to exchange control rules.
Supply chains are a major part of the corridor. UK buyers sourcing ready-made garments and other goods face modern slavery reporting, sanctions and product safety obligations at home, and need supply contracts that work in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's scheduled graduation from Least Developed Country status, and the requested extension of its transition period, will affect trade preferences under the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme. See investing in Bangladesh from the UK and Bangladesh supply chain advice.
Immigration and nationality
Movement between the two countries raises its own legal questions. Bangladeshi nationals generally need a visa to visit the UK, and longer stays depend on the family, work, study or business routes in the Immigration Rules. Refusals often turn on the evidence of funds, ties and purpose, so applications should be prepared carefully rather than resubmitted quickly after a refusal.
Many British Bangladeshis hold or want to restore Bangladeshi citizenship. The Bangladesh High Commission in London processes dual nationality certificates and No Visa Required endorsements for eligible foreign passport holders of Bangladeshi origin, which make travel and property dealings in Bangladesh easier. Holding Bangladeshi status can also affect how documents are treated and which consular services are available.
Employers bringing staff from Bangladesh need a sponsor licence and must follow right to work and record-keeping duties. Bangladeshi solicitors London employers instruct can align sponsorship with the commercial plan. See immigration for Bangladeshi nationals and UK visit visas from Bangladesh.
Documents, legalisation and identity
Paperwork causes more delay in corridor matters than legal argument. Bangladesh has acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs now issues e-Apostilles, which simplifies moving public documents between the two countries. UK documents are apostilled through the FCDO's legalisation service; check whether the receiving Bangladeshi authority still expects High Commission attestation for the particular document.
- Identity and nationality: passports, Bangladeshi national ID, and where relevant a dual nationality certificate or No Visa Required endorsement.
- Family status: nikahnama or marriage registration certificate, divorce documents, birth and death certificates, with certified translations.
- Property: record-of-rights entries (khatian), mutation papers, land tax receipts, title deeds and survey maps.
- Succession: death certificate, heirship or succession certificate, UK grant of probate where relevant.
- Commercial: contracts, invoices, shipping documents, correspondence and corporate registration documents in both countries.
Bangladeshi solicitors London clients use should check each document's form and translation before it is sent, because a rejected document can cost weeks.
How a cross-border matter runs
- Initial review. We identify which issues fall under English law, which under Bangladeshi law and which under personal law, and where assets, parties and documents sit.
- Strategy and forum. We compare routes: English proceedings, Bangladeshi proceedings, arbitration, negotiation or mediation, with a realistic view of enforcement.
- Documents and authority. We assemble evidence, arrange translations, apostilles or attestations, and prepare any power of attorney needed for steps in Bangladesh.
- Parallel action. The London and Bangladesh teams take steps in each country in a coordinated sequence, such as protective orders in England before proceedings in Dhaka.
- Resolution. We negotiate settlement, conduct proceedings or support the arbitration, instructing specialist counsel where advocacy in the higher courts is required.
- Implementation. We complete transfers, registrations, mutations, payments and filings so the outcome is reflected in both countries' records.
Risks and common mistakes
Assuming a UK will controls land in Bangladesh
Families often assume that a UK will leaving everything to a spouse or child settles Bangladeshi land. In practice, immovable property in Bangladesh passes under Bangladeshi law and the deceased's personal law, which may give fixed shares to several relatives. A will that ignores this can create conflict and delay. Take advice in both countries, identify each asset and its governing rules, and decide whether a separate Bangladeshi will, lifetime gifts or a family arrangement achieves the intended result before relying on a single UK document.
Granting a wide, open-ended power of attorney
A general power of attorney given to a relative or agent in Bangladesh can be used to sell, mortgage or lease land without further reference to the owner. Once registered and acted upon, unwinding a transaction can require lengthy litigation. Limit the power to specific property and specific acts, set a term, require the attorney to report, and revoke it formally when no longer needed. Keep a copy of the authenticated document and the registration record.
Relying on a religious divorce alone
A talaq or other religious divorce may end a marriage in religious terms but not in English law, particularly where it was pronounced in the UK or where the parties live here. Without an English divorce, financial claims may remain open and remarriage may be invalid. Equally, an English divorce may not by itself satisfy religious or family expectations in Bangladesh. Plan both, and deal with financial remedies in English proceedings where the couple's life and assets are in England.
Suing in the wrong country
Winning a judgment in London against a party whose only assets are in Bangladesh can lead to a second round of proceedings to enforce it, with challenges on jurisdiction, notice and public policy. Conversely, suing in Bangladesh may be slower than expected. Before issuing, map the defendant's assets, check whether the contract has an arbitration clause, and consider whether a London arbitration award would be easier to enforce under the New York Convention. Our enforcement of judgments solicitors advise on this.
How TRW & Co's Bangladeshi solicitors in London help
Our London office works with TRW & Co's teams in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet, so clients do not have to manage two unconnected sets of lawyers. As Bangladeshi solicitors London clients can instruct directly, we advise, draft, negotiate and conduct proceedings in England, and coordinate the Bangladeshi steps.
Property and succession
We advise on inheriting, selling and protecting land in Bangladesh, prepare powers of attorney and wills, and coordinate succession steps with UK probate and tax.
Family law
We advise on recognition of Bangladeshi marriages and divorces, English divorce and financial proceedings, and protective steps where children may travel.
Disputes and enforcement
We conduct litigation and arbitration in London and plan enforcement in Bangladesh, including asset protection measures where there is a risk of dissipation.
Business and investment
We help Bangladeshi founders establish UK companies and UK businesses invest in, contract with or source from Bangladesh.
Immigration
We advise Bangladeshi nationals and their UK sponsors on visit, family, work and settlement routes through our immigration team.
Documents and formalities
We manage apostilles, attestations, translations and High Commission requirements so that documents are accepted first time in both countries.
See our practices or contact the London office at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London WC1V 7QH, by email at info@trw.co.
Checklist before you act
- List every asset and relationship in each country, and who controls it now.
- Identify the personal law that applies to family and succession questions.
- Check that property records in Bangladesh match the names on your identity documents.
- Keep powers of attorney specific, time-limited and properly authenticated.
- Consider UK Inheritance Tax exposure on Bangladeshi assets under the long-term residence rules.
- Do not rely on a religious divorce alone if you live in England.
- Before suing, map the defendant's assets and plan enforcement.
- Arrange apostilles, attestations and translations early.
- Instruct Bangladeshi solicitors London based and Dhaka based lawyers who work as one team.
Frequently asked questions
01Can I manage my property in Bangladesh from London?
Yes, usually through a power of attorney executed at the Bangladesh High Commission in London in the prescribed format, with you signing in person. The High Commission says the attested document must then be counter-attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka within 60 days, and further stamping and filing steps follow in Bangladesh. Keep the power specific to the property and the acts needed, set a term, and ask the attorney to report regularly. For disputes or sales, coordinated lawyers in both countries reduce the risk of mistakes.
02Does my UK will cover my land in Bangladesh?
A UK will can cover movable assets in Bangladesh, but land and buildings there generally pass under Bangladeshi law and your personal law, which may fix the shares of certain heirs. If your UK will conflicts with those rules, the Bangladeshi rules are likely to prevail for the land. Many clients take advice in both countries and use separate or coordinated wills. You should also consider UK Inheritance Tax, which can apply to worldwide assets of long-term UK residents.
03Is my Bangladeshi marriage valid in the UK?
Generally yes, if the marriage complied with the formal requirements of Bangladeshi law where it took place and each party had capacity to marry under their personal law. The usual evidence is the registration certificate, such as a nikahnama, with a certified translation. Questions can arise with unregistered marriages, marriages by proxy, or where one party was already married. If recognition matters for immigration, inheritance or divorce, take advice before relying on the documents.
04Will a divorce obtained in Bangladesh be recognised in England?
It depends on how and where it was obtained. The Family Law Act 1986 treats overseas divorces obtained by means of proceedings more favourably than those obtained without proceedings, and sets connection requirements such as habitual residence, domicile or nationality. A talaq pronounced in the UK is not recognised as a divorce in English law. If you live in England, you will usually need an English divorce, and financial claims are normally dealt with in English proceedings.
05Can I enforce an English court judgment in Bangladesh?
Potentially. Bangladesh's Code of Civil Procedure 1908 allows decrees of superior courts in notified reciprocating territories to be executed directly under section 44A; otherwise a new suit can be brought on the judgment. In either case the judgment must satisfy the conclusiveness rules in section 13, for example that it was given on the merits by a competent court and not obtained by fraud. Because enforcement can be challenged, many parties prefer London arbitration, whose awards are enforceable under the New York Convention.
06Do UK documents need legalising for use in Bangladesh?
Usually some form of authentication is needed. Bangladesh has acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention, so UK public documents can generally be apostilled by the FCDO legalisation service rather than going through a longer chain of consular legalisation. Some Bangladeshi authorities and banks may still ask for High Commission attestation or certified translations for particular documents. Check the requirement with the receiving authority, or ask us to, before sending originals.
07Why use a firm with offices in both London and Bangladesh?
Corridor matters fail most often at the hand-off between two systems: a power of attorney in the wrong form, a UK judgment that cannot be enforced, or a divorce recognised in one country but not the other. A single firm with an SRA-regulated London office and lawyers in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet can plan both sides together, sequence steps correctly and keep one point of contact. It does not remove the need for local procedures, but it reduces duplication and delay.
Sources and official materials
- Bangladesh High Commission, London: power of attorney — Consular requirements for powers of attorney
- Population of England and Wales by ethnicity — 2021 Census figures
- Family Law Act 1986, section 46 — Recognition of overseas divorces
- Get your document legalised — FCDO apostille service
- Double Taxation Relief Manual: Bangladesh — UK–Bangladesh tax convention in force
- Arbitration Act 2025 — Reforms to arbitration in England and Wales
- Bangladesh Bank — Central bank and foreign exchange regulator
General information only, current as at 21 October 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a solicitor–client relationship. It reflects the law of England and Wales unless stated otherwise; Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate legal systems, and the law changes frequently. Check current official sources and take advice on the facts of your matter.