Peer review policy
Published by BDLD · ISSN (Online): 2708-6313
How BDLD Journal (Bangladesh Law Digest) evaluates a manuscript, from first submission to editorial decision.
Model
Every research article, case note, legislative review, short article, and book review goes through this process before acceptance.
Process
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Desk review | The Editorial Board checks scope, format, and anonymisation. Manuscripts outside scope or poorly prepared are returned without full review. |
| Reviewer assignment | At least two reviewers with relevant subject expertise are assigned, screened for conflicts of interest. |
| Independent review | Each reviewer assesses originality, methodology, argument quality, and contribution to legal scholarship, without consulting the other reviewer. |
| Editorial decision | The Editorial Board weighs both reports and issues a decision. Where reviewers disagree substantially, a third reviewer may be added. |
Timeline
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Desk review | 1 week |
| Peer review | 6 weeks |
| Decision | 1 week |
| Revisions (if requested) | 2 weeks |
| Final approval | 3 days |
| DOI assignment | Upon publication |
Total: approximately 12 weeks from submission to first decision.
Decision categories
- Accept: publishable as submitted, or with trivial copyediting.
- Minor revision: publishable once the author addresses specific, limited concerns; not re-reviewed by the full panel.
- Major revision: requires substantial rework; the revised manuscript returns to the original reviewers.
- Reject: not suitable for publication in the Journal, whether on scope, quality, or ethical grounds.
Reviewer selection
Reviewers are selected for subject-matter expertise relevant to the manuscript and are screened for conflicts of interest before assignment, per the Publication Ethics policy. Reviewer identities are kept confidential under the Privacy Policy.
Appeals
An author who believes a rejection resulted from a factual error or a conflict of interest not disclosed by the reviewer may write to the Editorial Board with specific grounds within two weeks of the decision. The Board reviews the appeal, and may seek an additional independent opinion before issuing a final decision. Appeals based on disagreement with a reviewer’s academic judgment alone are not grounds for reconsideration.