Start by collecting what you can: the memorandum and articles, any shareholders' agreement, RJSC filings, notices of meetings and correspondence. Your options may include demanding information and inspection, requisitioning a general meeting, and applying to the High Court Division for relief from oppression or unfair prejudice. The court can make a range of orders to regulate the company's affairs. Corporate disputes of this kind are often resolved by a negotiated exit, and early legal steps can significantly improve your leverage in that negotiation. We can usually advise on immediate steps within a short initial review.

Not freely. Allotments must comply with the Companies Act 1994, the articles and any shareholders' agreement, including authorised capital limits, board and shareholder approvals and any pre-emption rights. Even where the formal steps are followed, an allotment made for an improper purpose, such as to remove a minority's influence, may be challenged. We review the allotment documents and filings and, where the dilution is imminent, consider urgent injunctive relief before the new shares are registered and the position becomes harder to reverse. Speed is therefore important in these corporate disputes. We also check the RJSC filings.

It depends on the articles, the notices given, the quorum, the resolutions passed and the filings made. Rival boards are a common feature of corporate disputes in Bangladesh, and they cause practical problems for banks, regulators and staff. The court can determine the question and, in the meantime, grant interim orders or direct that the status quo be maintained. We examine the record carefully and act quickly, because the side that obtains clear directions first is usually better placed to protect the business. Banks will usually want to see court directions before changing mandates.

For the main dispute, the arbitration agreement will usually be respected, and a Bangladesh court may stay proceedings brought in breach of it. However, some reliefs under the Companies Act 1994, such as rectification of the register or winding up, may involve statutory powers that only the court can exercise. Bangladesh courts can also support foreign-seated arbitration in limited ways. We analyse which issues belong in arbitration and which in court, so that corporate disputes do not become fragmented across inconsistent proceedings. A clear plan at the outset saves cost. We also consider emergency arbitrator relief.

Timing depends on the type of application, the urgency, the court's list and how hard the other side contests the matter. Interim relief can sometimes be obtained quickly, while full hearings of contested company matters can take much longer, with possible appeals to the Appellate Division. Because of this, we use interim applications strategically and look for opportunities to narrow the issues. Many corporate disputes are effectively decided by the interim position, which then shapes settlement discussions between the parties. We keep clients informed at every stage of the proceedings. Costs are budgeted by stage.

Generally yes, by the shareholders following the procedure in the Companies Act 1994 and the articles, which usually requires proper notice and a general meeting resolution. A director's removal may, however, breach a shareholders' agreement that gives a particular shareholder the right to nominate that director, giving rise to a contractual claim. If the director is also an employee, employment rights may be affected separately. We review all three layers before advising either the company or the director on how to proceed. Careful sequencing avoids avoidable corporate disputes later. Notice periods must be followed precisely.

Bank statements, ledgers, invoices, contracts with related parties, board minutes and emails are typically central. In corporate disputes involving financial misconduct, a forensic accountant can trace money flows, identify unusual transactions and quantify losses in a way the court can follow. Access to records is often the first battle, particularly for a shareholder who is not in management. We advise on inspection rights, preservation demands and court applications to obtain documents before they are lost or altered. Early preservation steps protect evidence that is often decisive in corporate disputes. Copies should be stored securely.

Often it is. Corporate disputes between family members or long-standing partners frequently involve personal issues that litigation cannot resolve, and a structured mediation can help the parties agree a valuation, a division of assets or a buy-out. The Legal Aid Services (Amendment) Act 2026 is introducing pre-case mediation for certain disputes, rolling out by district, and some shareholders' agreements require mediation first. We prepare clients carefully, including with valuation evidence, so mediation leads to a workable agreement. Any mediated outcome should be recorded in signed settlement terms, with payment dates and the consequences of default.