Penal Code of Bangladesh - Revision history

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2025-10-23T07:31:56Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 13:01, 23 October 2025
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	{{Short description\|Penal code of the People's Republic of Bangladesh}}		{{Short description\|Penal code of the People's Republic of Bangladesh}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2022}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2022}}
	~~{{Use Bangladeshi English\|date=December 2022}}~~
	{{Infobox legislation		{{Infobox legislation
	\| short_title = The Penal Code		\| short_title = The Penal Code, 1860
	\| imagealt =		\| imagealt =
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| citation = [http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-11.html Act No. XLV of 1860]		\| citation = [http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-11.html Act No. XLV of 1860]
	\| territorial_extent = {{flag\|Bangladesh}}		\| territorial_extent = {{flag\|Bangladesh}}
	\| bill =		\| bill =
	\| bill_citation =		\| bill_citation =
	\| bill_date =		\| bill_date =
	\| introduced_by =		\| introduced_by =
	\| 1st_reading =		\| 1st_reading =
	\| 2nd_reading =		\| 2nd_reading =
	\| 3rd_reading =		\| 3rd_reading =
	\| white_paper =		\| white_paper =
	\| committee_report = [[Law Commission of Bangladesh\|First Law Commission]]		\| committee_report = [[Law Commission of Bangladesh\|First Law Commission]]
	\| amendments =		\| amendments =
	\| repeals =		\| repeals =
	\| related_legislation =		\| related_legislation =
	\| summary =		\| summary =
	\| keywords =		\| keywords =
	\| status = amended		\| status = amended
	}}		}}
	The '''Penal Code of Bangladesh''' is the ~~official [[~~criminal ~~code]]~~ of ~~[[Bangladesh]]~~. It is based on the [[Indian Penal Code]] enacted in 1860 by the Governor General-in-Council. ~~It is similar~~ to the penal ~~codes~~ of countries formerly part of the British Empire in South and Southeast Asia, including [[Penal Code (Singapore)\|Singapore]], India, [[Pakistan Penal Code\|Pakistan]], Sri Lanka and [[Penal Code (Malaysia)\|Malaysia]].		The '''Penal Code of Bangladesh''', formally titled the '''Penal Code, 1860''', is the general criminal law of the country. It is based on the [[Indian Penal Code]], which was enacted in 1860 by the [[Governor-General of India\|Governor General-in-Council]]. The Code bears strong similarities to the penal laws of countries that were formerly part of the [[British Empire]] in South and Southeast Asia, including [[Penal Code (Singapore)\|Singapore]], India, [[Pakistan Penal Code\|Pakistan]], Sri Lanka and [[Penal Code (Malaysia)\|Malaysia]].

	The [[Parliament of Bangladesh]] has amended the ~~penal code~~ on several occasions, ~~with~~ the most recent ~~being~~ in 2004.		The [[Parliament of Bangladesh]] has amended the Penal Code on several occasions, the most recent amendment occurring in 2004.

	The ~~code~~ is a legacy of the [[Victorian era]]. While its objective is to provide a general penal ~~code~~ for Bangladesh,<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/print_sections_all.php?id=11 \|title=Penal Code, 1860 (Act No. XLV of 1860) \|website=Bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd \|date=1949-08-12 \|accessdate=2017-07-10}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> ~~other~~ criminal law ~~statutes have also been enacted by the Bangladeshi parliament~~.		The Code is a legacy of the [[Victorian era]]. While its objective is to provide a general penal framework for Bangladesh,<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/print_sections_all.php?id=11 \|title=Penal Code, 1860 (Act No. XLV of 1860) \|website=Bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd \|date=1949-08-12 \|accessdate=2017-07-10}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> the Parliament has also enacted various penal statutes to address specific areas of criminal law.

	==History==		==History==
	The ~~code~~ was drafted on the recommendations of ~~first law commission~~ of British India~~. It was~~ presented to the [[Governor of Bengal]] in 1837. ~~While~~ based on ~~the~~ law ~~of Victorian England~~, it ~~derived~~ elements from the [[Napoleonic Code]] and [[Louisiana Civil Code]] of 1825. It was adopted on 6 October 1860.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail?p_lang=en&p_isn=92056&p_classification=01.04 \|title=Bangladesh - The Penal Code (Act No. XLV of 1860) \|website=Ilo.org \|date=2013-01-17 \|accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref> ~~When~~ [[East Bengal]] became part of Pakistan ~~after the [[Partition of British India]]~~, ~~the code was~~ known as the Pakistan Penal Code. ~~The code was re-enacted in~~ Bangladesh ~~after the country~~'s independence in 1971.		The Code was drafted on the recommendations of the [[Law Commission of India\|First Law Commission]] of British India and presented to the [[Governor of Bengal]] in 1837. Although primarily based on Victorian English law, it also incorporated elements from the [[Napoleonic Code]] and the [[Louisiana Civil Code]] of 1825. The Code was adopted on 6 October 1860.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail?p_lang=en&p_isn=92056&p_classification=01.04 \|title=Bangladesh - The Penal Code (Act No. XLV of 1860) \|website=Ilo.org \|date=2013-01-17 \|accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref> After the [[partition of British India]], when [[East Bengal]] became part of Pakistan, it came to be known as the Pakistan Penal Code. Following Bangladesh's independence in 1971, the Code was re-enacted as the Penal Code, 1860.

	==Chapters==		==Chapters==
	The following includes the chapters of the ~~code.~~		The following includes the chapters of the Code:

	*Chapter I - Introduction		*Chapter I - Introduction
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	==Controversial issues==		==Controversial issues==
	===Sedition===		===Sedition===
	Sedition and seditious libel ~~has~~ been criticized as an outdated law. While the United Kingdom has phased out penalties for seditious libel, its ~~continued presence~~ in the Bangladeshi ~~penal code~~ has been used by the government to target to leading journalists and politicians.<ref>{{cite news\|author=M Qaium \|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/op-ed/sedition-too-old-fashioned-modern-society-783640 \|title=Sedition is too old fashioned in a modern society \|newspaper=The Daily Star \|date=2016-02-29 \|accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref>		[[Sedition]] and seditious libel have been criticized as an outdated law. While the United Kingdom has phased out penalties for seditious libel, its retention in the Bangladeshi Penal Code has been used by the government to target leading journalists and politicians.<ref>{{cite news\|author=M Qaium \|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/op-ed/sedition-too-old-fashioned-modern-society-783640 \|title=Sedition is too old fashioned in a modern society \|newspaper=The Daily Star \|date=2016-02-29 \|accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref>

	===Section 309===		===Section 309===
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	===Capital punishment===		===Capital punishment===
	{{See also\|Capital punishment in Bangladesh}}		{{See also\|Capital punishment in Bangladesh}}
	Capital punishment remains legal in Bangladesh, although other common law countries like the United Kingdom and [[Canada]] have abolished the death penalty.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm?country=bangladesh \|title=The Death Penalty in Bangladesh \|website=Deathpenaltyworldwide.org \|date= \|accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref>		[[Capital punishment]] remains legal in Bangladesh, although other common law countries like the United Kingdom and [[Canada]] have abolished the death penalty.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm?country=bangladesh \|title=The Death Penalty in Bangladesh \|website=Deathpenaltyworldwide.org \|date= \|accessdate=2017-07-10 \|archive-date=13 May 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513114233/http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm?country=Bangladesh \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

	==See also==		==See also==
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	==References==		==References==
	{{reflist}}		{{reflist}}

	[[Category:Law of Bangladesh]]		[[Category:Law of Bangladesh]]
	[[Category:Criminal codes]]		[[Category:Criminal codes]]

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article

2023-08-12T05:14:31Z

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{{Short description|Penal code of the People's Republic of Bangladesh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Bangladeshi English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = The Penal Code
| imagealt =
| caption =
| citation = [http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/act-details-11.html Act No. XLV of 1860]
| territorial_extent = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| bill =
| bill_citation =
| bill_date =
| introduced_by =
| 1st_reading =
| 2nd_reading =
| 3rd_reading =
| white_paper =
| committee_report = [[Law Commission of Bangladesh|First Law Commission]]
| amendments =
| repeals =
| related_legislation =
| summary =
| keywords =
| status = amended
}}
The '''Penal Code of Bangladesh''' is the official [[criminal code]] of [[Bangladesh]]. It is based on the [[Indian Penal Code]] enacted in 1860 by the Governor General-in-Council. It is similar to the penal codes of countries formerly part of the British Empire in South and Southeast Asia, including [[Penal Code (Singapore)|Singapore]], India, [[Pakistan Penal Code|Pakistan]], Sri Lanka and [[Penal Code (Malaysia)|Malaysia]].

The [[Parliament of Bangladesh]] has amended the penal code on several occasions, with the most recent being in 2004.

The code is a legacy of the [[Victorian era]]. While its objective is to provide a general penal code for Bangladesh,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/print_sections_all.php?id=11 |title=Penal Code, 1860 (Act No. XLV of 1860) |website=Bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd |date=1949-08-12 |accessdate=2017-07-10}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> other criminal law statutes have also been enacted by the Bangladeshi parliament.

==History==
The code was drafted on the recommendations of first law commission of British India. It was presented to the [[Governor of Bengal]] in 1837. While based on the law of Victorian England, it derived elements from the [[Napoleonic Code]] and [[Louisiana Civil Code]] of 1825. It was adopted on 6 October 1860.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/natlex4.detail?p_lang=en&p_isn=92056&p_classification=01.04 |title=Bangladesh - The Penal Code (Act No. XLV of 1860) |website=Ilo.org |date=2013-01-17 |accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref> When [[East Bengal]] became part of Pakistan after the [[Partition of British India]], the code was known as the Pakistan Penal Code. The code was re-enacted in Bangladesh after the country's independence in 1971.

==Chapters==
The following includes the chapters of the code.

*Chapter I - Introduction
*Chapter II - General Explanations
*Chapter III - Punishments
*Chapter IV - General Exceptions
*Chapter V - Abetment
*Chapter VA - Criminal Conspiracy
*Chapter VI - Offences Against the State
*Chapter VII - Offences relating to the Army, Navy or Air Force
*Chapter VIII - Offences Against Public Tranquility
*Chapter IX - Offences by or relating to Public Servants
*Chapter IXA - Offences relating to Elections
*Chapter X - Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants
*Chapter XI - False Evidence and Offences Against Public Justice
*Chapter XII - Offences relating to Coin and Government Stamps
*Chapter XIII - Offences relating to Weights and Measures
*Chapter XIV - Offences Affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals
*Chapter XV - Offences relating to Religion
*Chapter XVI - Offences affecting the Human Body
*Chapter XVII - Offences against Property
*Chapter XVIII - Offences relating to Documents and Trade or Property Marks
*Chapter XIX - Criminal Breach of Contracts of Service
*Chapter XX - Offences relating to Marriage
*Chapter XXI - Defamation
*Chapter XXII - Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Prejudicial Act and Annoyance
*Chapter XXIII - Attempts to Commit Offences

==Controversial issues==
===Sedition===
Sedition and seditious libel has been criticized as an outdated law. While the United Kingdom has phased out penalties for seditious libel, its continued presence in the Bangladeshi penal code has been used by the government to target to leading journalists and politicians.<ref>{{cite news|author=M Qaium |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/op-ed/sedition-too-old-fashioned-modern-society-783640 |title=Sedition is too old fashioned in a modern society |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=2016-02-29 |accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref>

===Section 309===
Section 309 criminalizes suicide, which hinders prevention, seeking support and counsel, as well as proper reporting.

===Section 377===
[[Section 377]] criminalizes homosexuality, which has been criticized by the [[LGBT rights]] movement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/apr/27/where-does-bangladesh-stand-homosexuality-issue |title=Where does Bangladesh stand on homosexuality issue? |website=Archive.dhakatribune.com |date=2016-04-27 |accessdate=2017-07-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605155955/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/apr/27/where-does-bangladesh-stand-homosexuality-issue |archivedate=2017-06-05 }}</ref>

===Capital punishment===
{{See also|Capital punishment in Bangladesh}}
Capital punishment remains legal in Bangladesh, although other common law countries like the United Kingdom and [[Canada]] have abolished the death penalty.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm?country=bangladesh |title=The Death Penalty in Bangladesh |website=Deathpenaltyworldwide.org |date= |accessdate=2017-07-10}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Law of Bangladesh]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Law of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Criminal codes]]