BDLD Journal (Bangladesh Law Digest) author guidelines
A peer-reviewed, open-access law journal for original legal scholarship on domestic and international legal issues.
Peer Review Policy Publication Ethics AI Use Policy Copyright Policy
Scope
The Journal welcomes original, unpublished manuscripts on Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Criminal Law, Human Rights Law, International Law, Refugee and Migration Law, Environmental and Climate Law, Corporate and Commercial Law, Labour Law, Technology and Cyber Law, Legal Theory and Jurisprudence, Comparative Law, and Law Reform and Public Policy, among other areas.
Accepted manuscript types
| Category | Word count |
|---|---|
| Research Articles | 6,000 – 12,000 words (excluding footnotes) |
| Case Notes / Comments | 2,000 – 4,000 words |
| Legislative Reviews | 2,000 – 4,000 words |
| Short Articles | 3,000 – 6,000 words |
| Book Reviews | 1,000 – 2,500 words |
Peer review
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Desk review | 1 week |
| Peer review | 6 weeks |
| Decision | 1 week |
| Revisions (if requested) | 2 weeks |
The Editorial Board may reject a submission at preliminary screening, before it reaches reviewers. Full process: Peer Review Policy.
Formatting checklist
- Body text Times New Roman, Size 12, 1.5 spacing, justified.
- Footnotes Times New Roman, Size 10, 1.0 spacing, justified. Numbered consecutively, one full stop at the end of each.
- Style guide Follow the Oxford University Style Guide.
- Citations Format footnotes to OSCOLA (5th Edition). No ibid; short-form cross-references only. Use the auto-citation generator.
- Article format Author, ‘Title’ (Year) Volume BDLD J FirstPage.
- File format Microsoft Word documents (.doc or .docx).
Title page & anonymisation
Title page (separate file)
Title, author’s full name, institutional affiliation, designation, ORCID (if available), email, and a short biography (50–100 words).
Manuscript file
No author name, affiliation, acknowledgements, or self-citations that would identify you. Use Author (n.d.) for self-citations and strip identifying file metadata.
Abstract & keywords
An abstract of 150–250 words stating the research question, methodology, key findings, and contribution, plus 4–6 keywords.
Policies & fees
Originality
Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, means immediate rejection. Full policy: Publication Ethics.
AI use
Permitted for language editing and research assistance; authors remain fully responsible for accuracy. AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Disclose substantial use. Full policy: AI Use Policy.
Copyright
Authors retain copyright and grant BDLD Journal (Bangladesh Law Digest) a non-exclusive licence to publish and archive electronically. Full policy: Copyright Policy.
Fees
No charge at any stage: submission, review, or publication.
Submit your manuscript
Prepare the following as separate files:
- Anonymised manuscript
- Title page
- Declaration of originality
- Conflict of interest statement (if applicable)
BDLD accepts manuscript submissions exclusively through its online submission system. Manuscripts submitted by email will not be considered for review.
All accepted manuscripts are assigned a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) upon publication.