Legal Specialist

• Enrollment as an Advocate with the Bangladesh Bar Council will be considered an advantage.

• Strong knowledge of Bangladesh’s legal and regulatory frameworks related to media, ICT, and human rights.

• Proven experience in providing legal assistance or advice and managing rights-based helpdesks or legal clinics.

• Excellent facilitation, training, and report-writing skills in both English and Bangla.

• Ability to work effectively with CSOs, government agencies, and international organizations.

A. Legal Analysis & Research

• Conduct legal and policy research on laws, regulations, and judicial practices affecting freedom of expression and media freedom in Bangladesh.

• Contribute to the development of the Freedom of Expression Legal Framework Handbook, policy briefs, and research publications.

• Monitor legal and policy developments concerning digital rights, freedom of expression, and civic space, and prepare relevant recommendations and statements.

B. Legal Helpdesk Management

• Establish and oversee the project’s Legal Helpdesk to provide legal guidance, advice, and referrals to CSOs, HRDs, journalists, and vulnerable communities.

• Maintain confidential records of cases, inquiries, and legal assistance in line with ethical standards.

• Coordinate with BLAST’s legal aid services and referral networks for appropriate case follow-up.

C. Capacity Building & Mentorship

• Develop and conduct training and mentoring sessions for CSOs, HRDs, media professionals, and youth fellows on freedom of expression, information rights, and relevant legal frameworks.

• Support the preparation of training materials and other learning resources in collaboration with project partners.

D. Policy Engagement & Advocacy

• Provide legal expertise to support multi-stakeholder policy dialogue groups and Civic Voice and Rights Protection Networks.

• Coordinate and support district-level networks across five districts, including monitoring quarterly meetings and emerging freedom of expression issues.

• Strengthen network members’ understanding of relevant laws, policies, and rights-based approaches.

• Contribute to policy recommendations and advocacy briefs aimed at promoting an enabling legal environment for freedom of expression.

• Engage with relevant government and policymaking institutions to share findings and facilitate constructive policy dialogue.

E. Coordination & Reporting

• Work closely with the BLAST project team, BBC Media Action specialists, and other consortium partners.

• Support project planning, monitoring, and reporting while ensuring legal perspectives are reflected in project activities and outputs.

• Participate in stakeholder consultations, workshops, evaluation activities, and related project events.