Criminal law in Bangladesh

A criminal case can begin at a thana through a General Diary (GD), which is available directly or online. Bangladesh Police lists GD service as free and gives an indicative handling period of 1 to 7 days. For a cognizable offence, section 154 of the CrPC requires the police to record the information in writing, read it back, obtain the informant’s signature and enter it in the official record. For a non-cognizable offence, the police make an entry and refer the complainant to a Magistrate; police investigation then generally requires the Magistrate’s order. A complaint filed before a Magistrate remains another available path. An arrest should identify the officer, state the reason, record the place and time in an arrest memorandum, notify a relative or friend within the statutory period where the arrest occurs away from the person’s residence, and provide access to a lawyer or nearest relation preferably within 12 hours. The arrested person should receive an injury examination and first aid where needed, a certificate of the examination and a copy of any seizure list. Without a special Magistrate order, detention before production is limited to 24 hours excluding the journey to the nearest Magistrate. Police custody under section 167 is limited to 15 days in total for a case; further custody is judicial, and alleged torture or injury can lead to a government-hospital examination. A shown arrest under section 167A requires personal production, a hearing and a case-diary copy for the court. Bail means release while the case continues, subject to a bond, security or court conditions. A bailable offence generally requires release on bail when the legal conditions are met, while bail for a non-bailable offence depends on judicial discretion. Section 497 restricts bail where there are reasonable grounds for an offence punishable by death or life imprisonment, subject to statutory protections for women, persons under 16 and sick or infirm persons; a special statute may apply instead. Bail does not end the prosecution, and the accused must follow court dates and conditions. During investigation, police keep a case diary and may submit a charge-sheet or other police report when evidence is sufficient. If evidence is insufficient, section 169 permits release on bond, and an interim report under section 173A may support discharge, although later re-inclusion can occur. Section 173B sets a 60-working-day target for completing an investigation, with reasons for delay and possible Magistrate extensions; the separate 120-day bail framework under section 173(5) can also affect detention. These provisions do not guarantee a fixed case outcome or completion date. Courts may frame charges, order discharge, hear prosecution evidence and cross-examination, and issue acquittal or conviction. A Public Prosecutor conducts prosecution in Sessions cases. The Evidence Act governs relevance and the burden of proof, and digital records can be admitted under sections 65A and 65B together with rules on digital signatures. Appeals and revisions remain available, while compounding is possible only where the relevant offence and statute allow it. Possible sanctions include death, life imprisonment, rigorous or simple imprisonment, fines, forfeiture or confiscation, and compensation paid from a fine. A court may use probation or conditional discharge under the Probation of Offenders Ordinance, 1960, subject to its discretion and exclusions for serious offences; supervision commonly lasts 1 to 3 years. Road offences can also lead to licence suspension, cancellation or disqualification, while prison custody is governed by the Prisons Act, 1894. Courts may order protection or security for informants, complainants, victims and witnesses, and may award reasonable attendance expenses. A fine can also support prosecution expenses or compensation, while special laws may provide stronger measures. Cases involving violence against women or children can use police, medical and Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal pathways. Under the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Prevention and Suppression Act, 2026, victims can receive information about case status, compensation and legal aid, as well as shelter or rehabilitation measures where applicable. A child is a person under 18 for the purposes of the Children Act, 2013, and the relevant age is generally assessed on the offence date. Child Affairs Police Officers, Probation Officers and Children Courts apply child-specific privacy, representation, diversion and detention rules, with social, psychological and educational circumstances taken into account. A Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal may function as a Children Court. Safe homes and child development centres can be used, and an appeal to the High Court Division has a maximum period of 60 days. The Penal Code separately excludes criminal responsibility for children under 9 and for some children aged 9 to under 12 who lack sufficient maturity. Special criminal statutes cover areas such as terrorism, money laundering, narcotics, violence against women and children, acid offences, pornography, trafficking, road safety and digital offences. The Road Transport Act, 2018, effective from 2019, regulates licences, registration, vehicle fitness and tax tokens, and criminalises dangerous, unlicensed, intoxicated or drug-impaired driving and other traffic breaches. After a road accident, the law requires immediate notification and treatment steps, and victims or heirs may seek statutory financial assistance or medical costs from the accident fund. The current Cyber Security Act, 2026, enacted on 10 April 2026 and amended on 1 July 2026, replaced the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025; the current Bengali Act and amendment control the exact offence, penalty and bail position. References to the Digital Security Act, 2018, or Cyber Security Act, 2023, may be outdated unless a transitional rule applies. Emergency police assistance is available through 999. The National Legal Aid Services Organization provides criminal legal aid for eligible accused persons and complainants through applications, district and Supreme Court structures, and the national helpline 16699. Counsel, medical care, shelter, probation and tribunal capacity vary by district or metropolitan area, and private representation may involve fees; there is no single Bangladesh-wide cost or completion-time estimate. Police complaints can be escalated through the responsible unit, Superintendent of Police or metropolitan hierarchy, with the available process depending on the institution and location.