Maeesha Dhusharima
Bar Professional Training Course
(BPTC), 2015-2016
Bangaladesh
I ended up choosing three different bar providers with UWE as my first choice, from which I luckily got an offer following an interview with James Lloyd as part of my application process.”
I met Mohannad while we were both studying for our LLB in Dhaka. During our second year, our teacher asked the class to submit email addresses, and Mohannad was helping collect them. After getting mine, he found me on social media and started a conversation. We connected immediately, and within a few months we became a couple.
After completing my LLB, I decided to pursue the BPTC at UWE Bristol. At the time, there were only nine providers of the course in England and Wales, and UWE was highly recommended among Bangladeshi students. Mohannad had also shared many positive experiences about the university’s teaching culture, campus life, and supportive environment. I applied to three providers, ranking UWE first, and was delighted to receive an offer after an interview with James Lloyd.
Although I received my offer in 2014, a delay in my IELTS results meant I had to defer my admission for a year. During that time, I completed my master’s degree in Bangladesh. In 2015, I finally travelled alone to the UK for the first time to begin the BPTC in Bristol. Leaving my family behind and adapting to a completely new environment was challenging, especially as many of my former classmates had already completed the course.
A childhood friend welcomed me in London before I travelled on to Bristol. She introduced me to famous landmarks like Westminster Abbey, Covent Garden, and the Natural History Museum, helping me feel more at ease. Soon after, I arrived at Frenchay Campus and settled into student life. I discovered two fellow Bangladeshi students living nearby, and their friendship became a source of comfort. I also formed close bonds with my international flatmates, particularly some kind Malaysian students who were understanding of the demanding nature of the BPTC.
The BPTC itself was extremely intense. Every small-group session felt like an examination, and I spent long hours preparing for classes and studying independently. The advocacy and role-play exercises were especially challenging, as they required us to perform as barristers in realistic scenarios. Despite my initial nervousness, the tutors were incredibly supportive and guided us from the beginning. Through this training, I developed confidence in advocacy and gained valuable practical skills.
Alongside my studies, I was able to explore parts of the UK. Mohannad visited after his call to the bar and took me around Bristol, Bath, and London. One evening, after his ceremony, he proposed to me on Tower Bridge. We were rushing to catch a bus back to Bristol for my classes the next morning, but in the middle of the bridge he pulled out a ring and asked me to marry him. I happily said yes.
After completing the BPTC, UWE graduates were offered mediation training through ADR Group, which accredited us as civil and commercial mediators. I also travelled with friends and family around the UK, visiting places such as St. Ives, Edinburgh, Brighton, and London before returning home to Bangladesh after my graduation and call to the bar.
Back in Dhaka, I resumed work at Grays Chambers, where Mohannad and I both practised for several years. Today, Mohannad works as a Legal Specialist at ShopUp, while I serve as Senior Manager, Legal at BRAC University. In addition to being barristers of England and Wales, we also qualified through the Australian bar’s distance learning programme and became lawyers of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. I have also recently enrolled with the Bangladesh Bar Council.
As ambitious professionals and proud UWE BPTC alumni, we have grown together both personally and professionally, building a life and career across multiple jurisdictions.