.svg)
Constitution of Bangladesh
| Constitution of Bangladesh | |
|---|---|
.jpg) First page of the original Constitution of Bangladesh in Bangla | |
| Overview | |
| Jurisdiction |  Bangladesh |
| Ratified | 4 November 1972 |
| Date effective | 16 December 1972 |
| System | Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic |
| Government structure | |
| Branches | Three (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) |
| Chambers | One |
| Executive | Prime Minister and cabinet responsible to the Jatiya Sangsad |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court |
| Federalism | No |
| Electoral college | No |
| History | |
| Amendments | 17 |
| Last amended | 8 July 2018 |
| Location | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Author(s) | Dr Kamal Hossain Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee and other members of Constituent Assembly |
| Signatories | 404 members of the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh |
| Supersedes | Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence |
| Full text | |
 Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh at Wikisource | |
Constitution of Bangladesh [a 1], officially the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bengali: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশের সংবিধান गणप्रजातन्त्री बांलादेशेर संबिधान gaṇaprajātantrī bāṁlādēśēra saṁbidhāna (IAST: गणप्रजातन्त्री बांलादेशेर संबिधान gaṇaprajātantrī bāṁlādēśēra saṁbidhāna)
) serves as the highest legal authority in the country. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 04 November 1972, and officially came into force on 16 December 1972. This assembly was made up of representatives elected during the national and provincial council elections held in Pakistan in 1970. The refusal to acknowledge this electoral body contributed to the liberation struggle of Bangladesh.
The Constitution designates Bangladesh as a unitary parliamentary republic. It explicitly incorporates the four fundamental principles of Mujibism—the political philosophy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—which are nationalism, socialism, democracy, and secularism. These principles form the foundation of the nation's constitutional framework.
Although the Constitution of Bangladesh formally asserts the protection of fundamental rights and the existence of an independent judiciary, it has frequently been criticised as "fascist" for promoting autocratic governance and not adequately protecting human rights.[1][2][3] The Fundamental Principles of State Policy outlined in Part II are often regarded as mere rhetoric, lacking enforceability in courts. Meanwhile, the Fundamental Rights detailed in Part III are subject to extensive and imposed limitations.[4]
Vague definitions of 'restrictions' within the rights provisions have allowed for the ongoing application of repressive elements from British colonial laws, such as the Penal Code of 1860 and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1898. This has also paved the way for the introduction of more recent oppressive legislation, including the Special Powers Act of 1974 and the Cyber Security Act of 2023.
Notes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Interview: Situation In Bangladesh Challenging, But Happy That A Fascist Rule Has Ended, Cultural Icon Farhad Mazhar To ETV Bharat". ETV Bharat News. 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ↑ "আ.লীগের নেতৃত্বে সাংবিধানিক ফ্যাসিবাদী শাসন চলছে" [A constitutional fascist rule is ongoing under the leadership of the Awami League]. Samakal (in Bengali). 31 Jan 2022. Archived from the original on 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ↑ "Constitution needs rewriting to bar autocracy". The Daily Star. 2024-09-16. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ↑ Khan, Salimullah (2024-10-14). Talk Show Front Line | ফ্রন্টলাইন | Matiur Rahman Chowdhury | Salimullah Khan | Nurul Kabir. Retrieved 2024-10-23 – via YouTube.