Next general election to be held under caretaker government: Law minister

Bangladesh's Law Minister Md. Asaduzzaman said on Thursday that the country's next general election will be held under a caretaker government, describing the restoration of the system as a political commitment of the government and the outcome of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) long-standing movement.

His remarks came after the Supreme Court earlier on Thursday dismissed an appeal against a High Court ruling that had declared several provisions of the Constitution's Fifteenth Amendment, including the abolition of the caretaker government system, unlawful.

Responding to reporters at the Secretariat, Asaduzzaman was asked whether the next parliamentary election would be conducted under a caretaker government.

‘God willing,’ he said. ‘This is our political commitment. The caretaker government is the result of the BNP's movement.’

The minister said restoring the caretaker government system remained a political pledge of the government and that the next parliamentary election would be held under such an arrangement.

He added that consultations with people from all sections of society would determine whether the election would be conducted under a ‘caretaker government’ or an ‘interim government.’

Asaduzzaman also said the government would move to amend the Constitution in line with the ‘July Charter,’ which he said would serve as the guiding framework for implementing the court's ruling.

‘The judgment refers to 54 issues. Steps will be taken on those 54 issues with priority given to the July Charter,’ he said. He added that the ruling had also fulfilled public expectations on at least four major issues.

‘The judgment will be implemented in line with the Supreme Court's ruling and the aspirations of the people,’ Asaduzzaman said, adding that the government plans to introduce a National Human Rights Commission bill in the next session of parliament.

Earlier on Thursday, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, led by the chief justice and comprising a four-member bench, upheld the High Court's ruling declaring unlawful several provisions introduced through the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, including the abolition of the caretaker government system.

Lawyers involved in the case said the ruling effectively restored both the constitutional provision for a referendum and the caretaker government system.

On Nov. 13, 2025, the Supreme Court granted leave to appeal against the High Court judgment that had declared several provisions of the Fifteenth Amendment unconstitutional.

The order was issued by the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed.

The petition for leave to appeal had been filed on Nov. 3, seeking the complete annulment of the Fifteenth Amendment.

The appeal was filed by lawyer Dr. Sharif Bhuiyan on behalf of petitioner Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of the civic organisation Shujan.

On Dec. 17 last year, the High Court ruled that several provisions introduced through the Fifteenth Amendment, including the abolition of the caretaker government system, were unconstitutional.

The court also restored the constitutional provision for holding referendums, although it did not strike down the Fifteenth Amendment in its entirety.