The Interim Government's Constitution Reform Commission consists of a diverse group of legal experts, academics, and representatives from various civil society organizations. Led by prominent Bangladeshi-American Professor Ali Riaz, the commission includes Dhaka University law professors Sumaiya Khayer and Muhammad Ikramul Haque, Barrister Imran Siddiqui, Supreme Court advocate Dr Sharif Bhuiyan, Barrister M Moyeen Alam Firozee, writer Firoz Ahmed, human rights activist and writer Md Mostain Billah, and student representative Md Mahfuj Alam.
Prof Ali Riaz
Ali Riaz, head of the Constitution Reform Commission, is a distinguished professor in the Department of Politics and Government at Illinois State University, USA. He also serves as a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and is President of the American Institute of Bangladesh Studies.
Previously, Riaz held the inaugural Thomas E. Eimermann Professorship (2018-2020) and served as a "University Professor" (2012-2018) and department chair (2007-2017) at Illinois State. In 2023, he was a visiting researcher at the V-Dem Institute in Sweden, and in 2013, he was a public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
A former broadcast journalist for the BBC World Service in London, Riaz’s research focuses on democratization, violent extremism, political Islam, and South Asian politics, with a particular emphasis on Bangladesh. He has published extensively on state-society relationships and media political economy.
Riaz joined Illinois State in 2002 after teaching at Claflin University (South Carolina), the University of Lincoln (England), and the University of Dhaka, where he also served as a lecturer. He earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawai’i in 1993 and has received multiple awards, including the East-West Center Honor Award (1990).
His publications include Charade: Bangladesh’s 2024 Election and Pathways of Autocratization: The Tumultuous Journey of Bangladeshi Politics (2024), as well as Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis (2013). Riaz has edited several volumes and authored notable Bengali works like Bhoyer Sangskriti (The Culture of Fear). He frequently appears in media discussions on South Asian politics and has testified before the US Congress on Bangladesh-related issues.
In addition to his academic career, Riaz has served as a consultant for various international agencies, including UNDP, and held editorial roles for journals like Studies on Asia and Populism.
Prof Sumaiya Khair
Sumaiya Khair is a professor in the Department of Law at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, where she served as Head of the Department from 2009 to 2011. She is currently the Adviser for Executive Management at Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), an accredited chapter of the Berlin-based Transparency International.
Prof Khair holds a PhD from the United Kingdom and later studied as a Commonwealth Post-Doctoral Academic Fellow. She is the Editor of the Dhaka University Law Journal.
Her research interests include human rights, governance, humanitarian law, child rights, legal empowerment, refugee and migration issues, labor standards, and gender concerns. She has published extensively in national and international journals and books.
In addition to her academic role, Prof. Khair serves on the governing boards of several development and research organizations, where she provides strategic advice on policy, programs, fundraising, and operations. She also acts as a resource person at national, regional, and international forums and has consulted for UN agencies, the ILO, and various international development partners in her areas of expertise.
Imran Siddiq
Imran Siddiq, also known as Abdullah Siddiq, is a Member of the Bangladesh Constitution Reform Commission. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales by Gray’s Inn in 2004 and enrolled as a lawyer with the Bangladesh Bar Council in 2005. He regularly practices before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, specializing in constitutional and administrative law.
He earned an LL.B (Hons) from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a BSc (Hons) in Politics and International Relations (First Class) from the University of London, and an LL.M from Nottingham Trent University. Imran is a Partner at The Law Counsel, where he has worked on numerous public interest litigations, including challenges to the Digital Security Act, 2018, and the 5th Amendment of the Constitution. He recently represented Madrasah students in securing equal educational opportunities in public universities.
As a Defence counsel at Bangladesh’s first War Crimes Tribunal, Imran appeared in landmark cases that shaped international criminal law in the country. He is also enrolled as Counsel with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Imran is the founding Trustee of the Centre for Law, Governance, and Policy (CELGAP), which advocates for reforms to address systemic injustices. He has published widely on legal and governance issues and is regularly ranked in international legal directories, including The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
Prof Muhammad Ekramul Haque
Muhammad Ekramul Haque, PhD, is a Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Dhaka and serves as Dean (In-Charge) of the Faculty of Law. He earned his PhD in Constitutional and International Law from Monash University, Australia, and from 2024 to 2026, he will be a Distinguished Senior Research Fellow in the Constitutional Studies Program at the University of Texas at Austin.
His latest book is The Constitutional Law of Bangladesh: Progression and Transformation at its 50th Anniversary (Springer, 2023). He also edited Bangladesh's section in the Encyclopedia of Public International Law in Asia (Brill, 2021) and serves as Section Editor for International Law in the International Handbook of Disaster Research (Springer, 2023). Additionally, he is Rapporteur for the Asian Yearbook of International Law.
Professor Haque is on the Governing Body of the Development of International Law in Asia (DILA) and the Advisory Body of the NAPSIPAG Disaster Research Group. He is part of the Research Group on “Cross-Judicial Fertilization” within the International Association of Constitutional Law and ICON•S, and contributes to The I·CONnect Global Review of Constitutional Law and The International Review of Constitutional Reform.
As Director of the Dhaka University Law Clinic, he serves on several law journal editorial boards. He has authored textbooks on various legal topics and is a key resource in training judges and government officials in Bangladesh. He has spoken at many universities and conferences worldwide.
A leading scholar in constitutional law in Bangladesh, Dr. Haque’s research focuses on how comparative constitutional and international law shape the interpretation of Bangladeshi constitutional provisions. His forthcoming book, Implementation of Sustainable Development in the Global South: Strategies, Innovations, and Challenges (HART Publishing UK), is set for release in November 2024.
Advocate Dr Sharif Bhuyan
Dr Sharif Bhuiyan is a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He enrolled as an Advocate in 1997 and became an Advocate of the High Court in 2000. Currently, he serves as a Partner and Deputy Head of the law firm Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates. A graduate of Dhaka University, Dr Bhuiyan obtained his LL.M. and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, UK, where he was also a visiting fellow. He is the author of a book published by Cambridge University Press.
With extensive experience in constitutional law, he has appeared as lead counsel in notable cases before the Supreme Court. He is currently the lead counsel in the Constitution Fifteenth Amendment case before the High Court and the Constitution Thirteenth Amendment Judgment Review case before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. Both cases carry significant implications for constitutional reform and are expected to be heard soon. Dr Bhuiyan has also written on post-July-August revolution constitutional issues in this newspaper.
From 2009 to 2014, Dr Bhuiyan served as Co-Rapporteur of the Committee on International Trade Law at the International Law Association and was a Visiting Fellow at the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, University of Cambridge, in 2006. He taught a course on international governance to civil servants of the Bangladesh Government at Brac University, Dhaka, from 2006 to 2008.
Dr Bhuiyan is the author of National Law in WTO Law: Effectiveness and Good Governance in the World Trading System (Cambridge University Press, 2007), co-editor (with Philippe Sands and Nico Schrijver) of International Law and Developing Countries (Brill Nijhoff, 2014), and has published numerous articles in internationally recognized books and journals.
M Moyeen Alam Firozee
Moyeen Alam Firozee has been a practicing lawyer before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh for the past 25 years. Throughout his career, he has actively participated in several constitutionally significant cases.
He was directly involved in Masdar Hossain's Case, which concerned the independence of the judiciary, and the Constitution 14th Amendment Case, alongside his senior, Barrister M. Amir Ul Islam. Barrister Moyeen Firozee is the lead counsel in the Constitution 2nd Amendment Case, related to emergency powers. He is also one of the lead counsel in the Constitution 16th Amendment Case, commonly known as the Judges Removal Case.
Barrister Moyeen Firozee hails from a respected family in Rajapur, Jhalakathi District. His father, Professor Dr. Abdul Hakim Akan, was a renowned surgeon and oncologist. Barrister Moyeen Firozee earned his LL.B. (Hons.) degree from the University of Wolverhampton, UK, and obtained a certificate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, after completing a six-month course on “COVID-19 in Slums and Informal Settlements: Guidelines and Responses.”
Barrister Moyeen Firozee has taught English constitutional law at Newcastle Law Academy and London College of Legal Studies (South). He has also taught at East West University and Northern University. He regularly contributes on a range of legal issues, particularly on constitutional matters, both in print and electronic media.
Barrister Moyeen Firozee serves as Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee and is a life member of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh. A recipient of the President Scouts Award, he also served as Deputy National Commissioner (Law) of Bangladesh Scouts for nine years.
Firoz Ahmed
Firoz Ahmed was born in 1975 to MA Wazed and Razia Begum. He was raised in Dhaka, primarily in Lake Circus Kalabagan, with some time spent in Rayerbazar, Jhigatala, and Uttara. He received his education at New Model High School, BAF Shaheen College, and the Faculty of Law at the University of Dhaka.
Much of his professional life has involved research, writing, editing, and presentation. Due to his close ties to democratic and progressive politics, he actively participated as an organizer and worker in numerous movements at both the university and national levels during his student years. He has been engaged in efforts to shape public opinion on constitutional reform for decades, including a widely cited review of the constitution-making process of 1972.
Firoz is married to Mahrukh Mohiuddin, who is the managing director of The University Press Limited (UPL).
Mostain Billah
Mostain Billah is a Dhaka-based thought leader in social innovation and civic engagement. As a blogger and opinion maker, he is an ardent advocate for human rights, pluralism, sustainability, and the circular economy. He has a keen interest in skills education, systems thinking, and real-world solutions that create value, maximize the common good, and promote social equity.
Mostain has worked in various capacities, managing several strategic interventions aimed at driving private sector-led green growth and employment generation. He is a member of www.banan.space, a new-media culture platform. Additionally, he serves as a steering committee member of the ILO Business Network on Forced Labour. Currently, he is leading an initiative to establish a design platform that generates context-responsive solutions, connecting civic engagement practitioners across regions through collaboration and co-creation. His mission is to invent and provide the right choices in social technology, life skills education, and fair and efficient systems of exchange.
Mahfuz Alam
Mahfuz Alam, also known as Mahfuz Abdullah, serves as Special Assistant to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh. He gained prominence as a key figure in the July uprising and currently coordinates the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Liaison Committee. His influence is recognized for shaping crucial decisions behind the scenes.
Born in 1995 in Ichapur village, Ramganj upazila, Laxmipur district, Mahfuz completed his SSC (Dakhil) at Gallak Daruchhunnat Alim Madrasa and his HSC (Alim) at Tameerul Millat Kamil Madrasa. He attended the Law Department at Dhaka University during the 2015-16 academic year.
In addition to his role in the Liaison Committee, Mahfuz’s contributions to the anti-discrimination movement have garnered international attention. During the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, former US President Bill Clinton recognized him as the “mastermind” behind the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement and the non-cooperation movement.
