Industrial design registration protects the appearance of a product or part of a product, such as its shape, configuration, pattern, ornament or combination of colours, where those features appeal to and are judged by the eye. Examples include furniture, bottles and packaging, textile patterns, footwear, jewellery, electronic device housings, toys and household goods. It does not protect the way a product works, which may be covered by a patent, or a brand name or logo, which is usually protected by a trade mark. Some features may qualify for more than one right, and we advise on the strongest combination.

A design should not have been disclosed to the public before the filing or priority date, whether in Bangladesh or, in many cases, abroad, and it should differ meaningfully from earlier designs rather than making trivial changes. Disclosure can happen through publication, sale, exhibitions, catalogues or online posts. The precise test is set by the Industrial Design Act 2023 and how the registry and courts apply it. We assess earlier designs and the client's own disclosure history before filing, because a weak novelty position can lead to objections or later cancellation of the registration. Records of creation dates help.

Not necessarily, but it depends on what was shown, to whom and on what terms. Confidential disclosure to a buyer under a non-disclosure agreement is very different from a public trade fair display or an online catalogue. Some legal systems allow a grace period for the designer's own disclosures, but the position under Bangladeshi law should not be assumed. If a priority application was filed abroad, a Bangladeshi filing within the priority period may still be possible. We review the facts quickly and advise whether industrial design registration remains realistic or whether other protection should be relied on.

Timing depends on the registry's workload, the quality of the application and whether objections or oppositions arise. Straightforward applications with clear representations tend to proceed more smoothly. The duration of protection and the renewal periods are set by the Industrial Design Act 2023 and its rules, and renewals must be filed on time to keep the registration in force. We confirm current timelines and fees when we take instructions, docket renewal dates for every registration, and remind clients well before each deadline so that valuable rights are not lost. Missing a renewal can be costly.

Yes. Foreign individuals and companies can apply, usually through a local agent or lawyer. Because Bangladesh is a member of the Paris Convention, a foreign applicant can generally claim priority from a first filing in another member country if the Bangladeshi application is filed within the priority period. Documents such as powers of attorney and priority documents may need to be prepared in a particular form. We act as local counsel for foreign brand owners and their international IP firms, handling filings, examination and renewals, and advising on enforcement when copies appear in the Bangladeshi market.

Ownership depends on the contract and on the rules in the Industrial Design Act 2023. An employer often owns designs created by employees at work, but freelancers and outside studios may retain rights unless they assign them in writing. In export manufacturing, designs supplied by a buyer usually belong to the buyer, while designs developed by the factory may belong to it unless the contract says otherwise. Disputes are common when relationships end. We draft clear ownership and assignment clauses, signed before design work starts, and resolve conflicting claims before industrial design registration is sought.

A registered owner can take action against unauthorised making, selling, importing or using products that apply the design or a design that does not differ meaningfully from it. Practical steps include gathering evidence through test purchases and photographs, sending a warning letter, requesting removal of online listings, and bringing civil proceedings for an injunction, damages or an account of profits, and delivery up of infringing goods. Customs measures may help against imports. The right step depends on the scale of copying and the commercial relationship. We advise on strategy and act quickly where urgent relief is needed.

Bangladesh relies mainly on registration for design protection, so an unregistered design generally has much weaker protection here. Some designs, such as original artwork or textile prints, may also qualify for copyright, and passing off or consumer protection law may help where copying misleads customers about origin. Other countries, including the UK and members of the European Union, offer forms of unregistered design right that may protect Bangladeshi exporters' products abroad. We assess which rights are available in each market and recommend whether industrial design registration should still be pursued for future products. Registration remains the safest route.