Bangladesh Supreme Court reinstates non-partisan caretaker government system
Nov 20, 2025
Dhaka [Bangladesh], November 20 : The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Thursday reinstated the non-partisan caretaker government system during the election period.
The highest court of the country has declared the much-discussed verdict in 2011 to abolish the non-partisan caretaker government system during the election period as illegal.
Today at 9:40 am, the full Appellate Division of 7 judges, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, announced the verdict, lawyers said. The other six judges of the bench are - Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam, Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, Justice Md. Reazaul Haque, Justice SM Imdadul Haque, Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Farah Mahbub.
Although the caretaker government system automatically returns to the constitution through this ruling, the upcoming 13th national parliament election will be held under the interim government. The caretaker government system will be effective from the 14th national parliament elections.
The non-party caretaker government system was introduced through bringing 13th Amendment to the constitution in 1996. The sole purpose of the 13th Amendment was to safeguard democracy by ensuring free and fair elections under a non-party caretaker government, which would remain in charge for only 90 days.
A seven-member bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed delivered the verdict, overturning the court's 2011 judgment that had scrapped the caretaker system.
Meanwhile, a major development unfolded on November 17, when Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina and her close aide, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, to death, while a third accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun, was given a five-year jail term because he had turned a state witness of committing "crimes against humanity" during the July-August uprising in 2024.
Hasina responded to the verdict made against her, stating that the decision made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government had no democratic mandate.
