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Khaled Saifulla 20 Nov 2025 , 8:50 AM Print Edition
DHAKA, Bangladesh – The Supreme Court’s Appellate Division delivered a major verdict today. It restored the non-party Caretaker Government (CG) system for national elections. The highest court effectively overturned its own 2011 judgment which abolished the arrangement.
Attorney General (AG) Md. Asaduzzaman celebrated the decision. He called the ruling a pivotal moment. The verdict, he said, puts Bangladesh back on the “democratic highway.”
The Attorney General spoke at a press briefing at his Supreme Court office at 11:30 am Thursday. He directly criticized the consequences of the old ruling. In fact, he said, the previous non-CG elections had “dug the grave of democracy.”
The Appellate Division allowed an appeal against the 2011 judgment. Therefore, the court ruled that all CG provisions are now revived and reactivated. This verdict also corrects the “error” of the 2011 ruling, which the AG said a former Chief Justice wrote with “political intent.”
The AG explained the judgment’s future effect. The court allows the appeal but sets a clear date for implementation. Specifically, the restored CG system will not apply to the upcoming 13th national election. It will take effect within 15 days of the next parliament’s dissolution—making it applicable from the 14th national election onward.
The Attorney General asserted that the court has now declared the CG system constitutional. He said the system supports democracy’s preservation in Bangladesh.
Regarding future changes, the AG noted that Parliament can discuss the system later. Finally, he said, if the people feel the system needs a better replacement 20 years from now, Parliament will have that discussion.
