Intellectual Property
Copyright
Protection, licensing and enforcement of copyright and related rights in software, media, publishing and design.
- Chambers Asia-Pacific · Ranked 15 years, Intellectual Property
- The Legal 500 · Tier 1, Intellectual Property
Copyright arises on creation, but registration with the Copyright Office provides evidentiary advantage that matters in Bangladeshi enforcement practice. Software, broadcast, publishing, music and design clients all face the same core problems: proof of ownership, chain of title, and a market where infringing copies travel faster than injunctions.
We advise on ownership and assignment, registration, licensing and distribution, and we run enforcement — civil, criminal and administrative — for rights holders and collecting bodies.
How we help
- Copyright registration and chain-of-title documentation
- Software, content and media licensing
- Assignment, work-for-hire and contributor agreements
- Infringement, piracy and anti-camcording enforcement
- Broadcast, publishing and distribution agreements
- Moral rights and performers' rights advice
Our writing on this
- LDC graduation deferred to 2029: what it means for pharmaceutical patents
The United Nations has deferred Bangladesh's graduation from least-developed-country status by three years, to November 2029. The TRIPS transition for medicines continues until then. The deferral buys time; it does not change what originators and manufacturers need to do with it.
- Madrid Protocol accession: what it would mean for rights holders in Bangladesh
An amendment to the Trademarks Act enabling Madrid accession is reported to be in progress. It would change how marks are filed in Bangladesh — and change what the work of protecting them actually consists of.
- The 2023 statutes: Bangladesh's IP law leaves 1911 behind
The Patent Act 2023, the Industrial Design Act 2023 and the Copyright Act 2023 replaced law dating to 1911 and 2000. Anyone still working from the old section numbers is working from repealed provisions.
- IP enforcement in Bangladesh: using treaty rights in a growing consumer market
Bangladesh is a first-to-file jurisdiction with a large and expanding consumer market. Brand owners who treat enforcement as a series of raids rather than a programme consistently under-recover.
IP guide · Copyright
Copyright: protect creative works
What it is
Copyright protects original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, films, sound recordings, software and digital works. It arises automatically when a work is created; registration gives a certificate that is prima facie evidence of ownership.
New in the 2023 Act: Dedicated chapters on folklore, provisions for the digital age and an enforcement task force, with tougher penalties for infringement.
- Law
- Copyright Act 2023
- Office
- Copyright Office, Dhaka
- Term
- Author's life + 60 years
- Corporate works
- 60 years from publication
- Treaties
- Berne and UCC
What we need from you to file
- Copies of the work, including source code or a disc for software
- Author's and owner's names, addresses and nationalities
- Assignment or disclaimer from the creator, for commissioned works
- Details of registrations in other Berne Convention countries
- Any licence or transfer documents for the work
- Power of attorney
Time frame
Typically about 2 months if no objection
- 1FilingApplication with copies of the work.
- 2ExaminationThe Copyright Office checks the claim and documents.
- 3Objection window30 days for interested parties to object.
- 4RegistrationCertificate issued and entered in the Register.
After registration
Register assignments and licences. Disputed entries can be corrected before the Copyright Board, which also hears first appeals from the Registrar.
Our tip
Register before you need to enforce. A registration certificate is your strongest evidence, and we recommend it before taking civil action.
Questions we are asked
Copyright in Bangladesh: common questions
- Is copyright registration required in Bangladesh?
- No. Copyright arises automatically when a work is created. Registration is optional, but the certificate is prima facie evidence of ownership and we recommend it before taking civil action.
- How long does copyright last in Bangladesh?
- The author's life plus 60 years under the Copyright Act 2023. Photographs, films, digital works and corporate works run 60 years from publication.
- How long does copyright registration take in Bangladesh?
- Typically about two months if no objection is filed. There is a 30-day window for interested parties to object.
- Can software be registered for copyright in Bangladesh?
- Yes. Software and digital works are protected. The application is filed at the Copyright Office in Dhaka with copies of the work, including source code or a disc.
How we work with you
Free first consultation
Prompt preliminary advice on any IP action, at no charge.
No advance payment
We invoice only after the filing is lodged.
Transparent fees
Full schedule of official and professional fees on request.
One named lawyer
Clear English updates by email, with deadlines.
Dhaka is GMT+6. The Bangladesh weekend is Friday and Saturday.