Politics of Bangladesh

This article may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding subheadings. Please discuss this issue on the article's talk page. (May 2023)

Politics of Bangladesh
· National Emblem · Government Seal
Polity type	Unitary parliamentary republic
Constitution	Constitution of Bangladesh
Legislative branch
Name	Jatiya Sangsad
Type	Unicameral
Meeting place	Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban
Presiding officer	vacant, Speaker
Executive branch
Head of state
Title	President
Currently	Mohammed Shahabuddin
Appointer	Parliament
Head of government
Title	Chief Adviser
Currently	Muhammad Yunus
Appointer	President
Cabinet
Name	Cabinet of Bangladesh
Current cabinet	Yunus cabinet
Leader	Muhammad Yunus
Appointer	President
Headquarters	Bangladesh Secretariat
Ministries	21
Judicial branch
Name	Judiciary of Bangladesh
Supreme Court
Chief judge	Syed Refaat Ahmed
Seat	Supreme Court Building

This article is part of a series on the
Politics of Bangladesh
Constitution Amendments Law of Bangladesh Bangladesh Code Penal Code Human rights Article 70 Judicial review
Government President: Mohammed Shahabuddin Chief Adviser: Muhammad Yunus Cabinet: Yunus (interim) Taxation Agencies Civil Service Local governments
Parliament Speaker: Vacant Leader of the House: Vacant Leader of the Opposition: Vacant
Judiciary Supreme Court: Appellate Division High Court Division District courts Metropolitan courts Chief Justice: Syed Refaat Ahmed Attorney General: AM Amin Uddin Bangladesh Bar Council
Administrative divisions Divisions Districts Subdistricts Local Councils
Elections Parliamentary constituencies Election commission General: 2024 next Presidential: 2018 2023 Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister Diplomatic missions of / in Bangladesh Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Foreign relations Bangladeshi diaspora
Bangladesh portal Other countries
v t e

Politics of Bangladesh takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Bangladesh is the head of government and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The Constitution of Bangladesh was written in 1972 and has undergone seventeen amendments.^[1]

The current parliamentary system was adopted in 1991 and is based on the Westminster system. Between 1975 and 1990, the nation experienced military rule. A caretaker government was first introduced in 1990, after the resignation of military dictator Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad (Ershad) to observe a neutral democratic election, as per demands of the two major political parties Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Awami League (AL). Following the forced resignation of Ershad, Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was nominated as the Chief Advisor and observed the 1991 general election. A Caretaker government is headed by a Chief Adviser who enjoys the same power as the regular prime minister of the country except defense matters. The Advisors function as Ministers. After 1991, the Caretaker government has also held the elections of 1996, 2001 and 2008. Although, the first caretaker government was intended to help the transition from authoritarianism to democracy, this system was institutionalized in 1996, by the Sixth Parliament due to rising mistrust between the BNP and AL. In 2011, the then ruling party AL abolished the caretaker government system. This has been the biggest cause of dispute among many others between the BNP and the AL since then.^[2]

The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Bangladesh a "hybrid regime" in 2022.^{[3][needs update]}

Main office-holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
President	Mohammed Shahabuddin	Bangladesh Awami League	24 April 2023
Prime Minister	vacant		5 August 2024
Chief Advisor	Muhammad Yunus	Independent	8 August 2024
Parliament Speaker	vacant		6 August 2024
Chief Justice	Syed Refaat Ahmed	Nonpartisan	10 August 2024