Karishma Jahan

Karishma Jahan was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2002 by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, United Kingdom. Since 2004, she has been practicing as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Karishma specializes in the energy and infrastructure sector, advising clients on strategy, development, acquisitions, and financing of energy-related assets. Her expertise includes negotiating project agreements with the government, drafting and negotiating Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts, as well as Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contracts. She also has extensive experience in structuring and securing financing for energy companies, working with government entities, EPC contractors, original equipment manufacturers, multilateral agencies, development finance institutions (DFIs), and commercial banks involved in long-term project financing.

Over the years, Karishma has been involved with various electricity generation companies as the lead counsel for sponsors, successfully raising over $1.4 billion in long-term debt through project finance. She has also played a key role in significant equity-raising transactions involving multilaterals, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Some of her key financing transactions include:

Advised a Project Company as Borrower for long-term financial close of $405 million with IFC and Standard Chartered Bank under an ECA Facility Agreement (both as Original Lenders), with SERV as guarantor, for the implementation of a 583 MW (Gas)/534MW (Fuel Oil) power plant at Meghnaghat, Narayanganj. Advised a Project Company as Borrower for long-term financial close of $150 million with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and Clifford Capital Pte Ltd for a 300 MW dual fuel (HFO/Gas) power plant at Kodda, Gazipur. Advised a Project Company as Borrower for long-term financial close of $105 million with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for the implementation of a Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) project at Maheskhali, Cox’s Bazar. Advised a Project Company as Borrower for long-term financial close of $68.6 million with Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL), Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, and OPEC Fund for International Development for the implementation of a 149 MW dual fuel (HFO/Gas) power plant at Kodda, Gazipur. Advised a Project Company as Borrower for long-term financial close of $27.64 million with IDCOL and OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) for the implementation of a 55MW HFO-fired power plant in Narayanganj. Acted as Project Company’s counsel for the implementation and financial close of $50 million for a 110MW HFO-fired power plant in Barisal, with financing from IDCOL and the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). Acted as Project Company’s counsel for the implementation and financial close of $190 million for a 305 MW fuel-based and 337 MW dual fuel combined cycle power plant in Meghnaghat, Narayanganj, with financing from IDCOL, Standard Chartered Bank, and a syndicate of European DFIs. Acted as the owner’s counsel for the implementation and financial close of $210 million for a 344.908 MW (Net) gas-based power station in Habiganj District, near Sylhet, with financing from ADB, IFC, and IsDB. Advised a Project Company for long-term financial close of $45 million with DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft MBH and Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij Voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. Karishma has also acted as lead counsel in major transactions involving the sale of shares of project companies in the power industry, representing sellers in deals with Taiyo Life Insurance Company Limited, Mitsubishi Corporation, and General Electric (GE). She played a pivotal role in negotiating Share Purchase Agreements, Shareholders’ Agreements, and Investment Agreements for these high-value transactions.

Between 2007 and 2008, Karishma was appointed Public Prosecutor for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh, assisting the Office of the Attorney General in high-profile corruption cases. She continued to represent the Anti-Corruption Commission before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh until 2016.

She also regularly represents the Chittagong Port Authority and the Bangladesh Power Development Board before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, handling complex legal matters in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

In her court practice, Karishma regularly appears before the Constitutional Courts and the Company and Admiralty Bench of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. Over the years, she has been involved in several high-profile, reported cases before these benches, shaping key legal precedents in corporate, constitutional, and regulatory matters.

She has also served as an Independent Director on the Board of Khulna Power Company Limited, a company listed on both the Dhaka Stock Exchange and the Chittagong Stock Exchange. Her role brought valuable industry insights to the company’s governance and strategic decision-making.

Her exceptional expertise and leadership in the field have been recognized in the Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific Guide 2025, where she has been ranked as a Band 1 lawyer in the Projects & Energy category. This prestigious ranking solidifies her reputation as a top-tier legal professional in the region.