SC publishes full verdict reinstating caretaker govt system

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has published full text of its verdict reinstating the caretaker government system in the Constitution. The 74-page judgment was uploaded to the Supreme Court’s website on Sunday (March 15). The verdict was authored by then Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed. The Appellate Division had originally delivered the ruling on November 20, 2025.

As a result of the judgment, the provision for a non-party caretaker government has been restored. However, the relevant provisions will not take effect immediately and may be applied starting from the 14th parliamentary election.

Earlier, on November 20 last year, the Supreme Court had declared invalid the widely debated verdict that abolished the non-partisan caretaker government system during elections. By upholding the 13th Amendment of the Constitution as valid, the country’s highest court restored the caretaker government system.

The full bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed, delivered the judgment.

On August 27, 2025, the Appellate Division had granted leave to appeal against its 2011 judgment, which had declared the 13th Amendment—which introduced the caretaker government system—unconstitutional. The court passed the order after hearing multiple review petitions seeking reinstatement of the 13th Amendment and revival of the caretaker system.

A total of four review petitions were filed—by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, five prominent citizens including SUJAN Secretary Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar, and another individual petitioner. All petitions were heard together.

Earlier, on December 17, 2024, the High Court had declared the abolition of the caretaker government system unconstitutional.