People of Bangladesh, having proclaimed Independence on the 26th day of March, 1971 and through [a historic war for national independence], established the independent, sovereign People's Republic of Bangladesh.

[Pledging that the high ideals of absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah, nationalism, democracy and socialism meaning economic and social justice, which inspired our heroic people to dedicate themselves to, and our brave martyrs to sacrifice their lives in the war for national independence, shall be fundamental principles of the Constitution.

Further pledging that it shall be a fundamental aim of the State to realise through the democratic process to socialist society, free from exploitation-a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedom, equality and justice, political, economic and social, will be secured for all citizens.

(2)The national flag of the Republic shall consist of a circle, coloured red throughout its area, resting on a green background.

(3)The national emblem of the Republic is the national flower Shapla (nympoea-nouchali) resting on water, having on each side and ear of paddy and being surmounted by three connected leaves of jute with two stars on each side of the leaves.

(4)Subject to the foregoing clauses, provisions relating to the national anthem, flag and emblem shall be made by law.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman April 11, 1971 to January 12, 1972 Abu Sayeed Chowdhury 12 January 1972 to 24 December 1973 Mohammad Mohamadullah 26 December 1973 to 25 January 1975 Khandakar Mushtaq Ahmed 15 August to 6 November 1975 Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem 6 November 1975 to 21 April 1977 Ziaur Rahman 21 April 1977 to 30 May 1981 Abdus Sattar 30 May 1981 to 24 March 1982 Hossain Mohammad Ershad 24 - 27 March 1982 A.F.M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury 27 March 1982 to 11 December 1983 Shahabuddin Ahmed 6 December 1990 to 10 October 1991

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1		11 April 1971	13 January 1972	Awami League
	Tajuddin Ahmed
		13 January 1972	26 January 1975	Awami League
2	Mujibur Rahman
3	Mohammad Mansoor Ali	26 January 1975	15 August 1975	Awami League
4	Mashiur Rahman	29 June 1978	12 March 1979	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
5	Shah Azizur Rahman	15 April 1979	24 March 1982	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
6	Ataur Rahman Khan	30 March 1984	9 July 1986	Jatiya Party
7	Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury	9 July 1986	27 March 1988	Jatiya Party
8	Moudud Ahmed	27 March 1988	12 August 1989	Jatiya Party
9	Kazi Zafar Ahmed	12 August 1989	6 December 1990	Jatiya Party
		20 March 1991	30 March 1996	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
10	Khaleda Zia, 1st time
		30 March 1996	23 June 1996	(none)
11	Mohammad Habibur Rahman
		23 June 1996	15 July 2001	Awami League
12	Sheikh Hasina Wajed
		15 July 2001	10 October 2001	(none)
13	Latifur Rahman
14	Khaleda Zia, 2nd time	10 October 2001	27 October 2006	Bangladesh Nationalist Party
15	Iajuddin Ahmed	29 October 2006	12 January 2007	(none)
16	Fakhruddin Ahmed	12 January 2007	(present)	(none)

The capital.
(1) The capital of the Republic is Dhaka.
(2.) The boundaries of the capital shall be determined by law.

Supremacy of the Constitution.

(1)All powers in the Republic belong to the people, and their exercise on behalf of the people shall be effected only under, and by the authority of, this Constitution.

(2)This Constitution is, as the solemn expression of the will of the people, the supreme law of the Republic, and if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution and other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed

Educationist Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed took oath as the 17th President of Bangladesh in 2002. 76 year-old professor Iajuddin Ahmed, who taught in the Dhaka university in the soil science department for long and has a doctorate degree from an American university. The presidency is a ceremonial post elected by the members of parliament and the new head of the state was the nominee of the ruling four-party alliance which has more than two-third majority in the 300-member house.

The opposition did not put up a nominee evidently for the reason that the outcome of election is a foregone conclusion because of unassailable majority of the ruling coalition.

Dr. Ahmed's professional career was distinguished with extraordinary credentials as being an Advisor of the caretaker government in 1991 as well as Chairman of the Public Service Commission (1991-93) and the University Grants Commission (1995- 99). Before being declared as the country's next president, he was the vice-chancellor of a private university named State University of Bangladesh.

(1) There shall be Prime Minister, and such other Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers as may be determined by the Prime Minister.
(2) The appointments of the Prime Minister and other Ministers and of the Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, shall be made by the President: Provided that not less than nine-tenths of their number shall be appointed from among members of Parliament and not more than one-tenth of their number may be chosen from among persons qualified for election as members of Parliament.
(3) The President shall appoint as Prime Minister the member of Parliament who appears to him to command the support of the majority of the members of Parliament.
(4) If occasion arises for making any appointment under clause (2) of clause (3) between a dissolution of Parliament and the next following general election of members of Parliament, the persons who were such members immediately before the dissolution shall be regarded for the purpose of this clause as counting to be such members.

Tenure of office of Prime Minister.
(1) The office of the Prime Minister shall be vacant -
(a) if he resigns from office at any time by placing his resignation in the hands of the President; or
(b) if he ceases to be a member of Parliament.
(2) If the Prime Minister ceases to retain the support of a majority of the members of Parliament, he shall either resign his office or advise the President shall, if he is satisfied that no other member of Parliament commands the support of the majority of the members of Parliament, dissolve Parliament accordingly.
(3) Nothing in this article shall disqualify the Prime Minister for holding office until his successor has entered upon office.

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
(1940 - )

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, son of Dr. Mohiuddin Ahmed, took the oath of office as Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on 12th January 2007. Prior to this appointment, he worked as Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) from June 2005 to January 2007. PKSF is the largest apex fund for micro credit in the world, currently providing financial and institution-building assistance to over two hundred micro-finance institutions. From October 2001 to April 2005, Dr. Ahmed served as Governor of the Bangladesh Bank.

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed is a noted Bangladeshi economist, civil servant, and a former governor of the Bangladesh Bank, the country's central bank. He was appointed as Chief Advisor (i.e., head) of the non-party interim caretaker government of Bangladesh on 12 January 2007, amidst chaos in Bangladeshi politics.

While he was Governor, Dr. Ahmed introduced wide-ranging reforms in the conduct of monetary and exchange rate policy, in the development of new financial markets (bond market) and financial instruments (securitization), and in the operation of the financial system. The financial sector reforms included stronger corporate governance measures at the board level and also on internal policies, processes and structures within the banking industry and for non-bank financial institutions. Other significant reforms undertaken during his tenure included strengthening the capacity of the Bangladesh Bank. Dr. Ahmed’s major achievements included : (i) floating the exchange rate with minimal volatility, (ii) introducing interest rate flexibility and bringing down the interest rate substantially, which in turn contributed to a significant increase in industrial investment, (iii) introducing major corporate governance measures for the first time in the Bangladeshi corporate sector, and (iv) making the Bangladesh Bank an effective regulator and enforcer. The reforms implemented during Dr. Ahmed’s tenure contributed to macroeconomic and financial sector growth and stability in a major way.

Previously, Dr. Ahmed served for over twenty years at the World Bank, where his work focused on macroeconomic issues as well as on other sectoral and policy issues related to development. During his years at the World Bank, he worked across a number of countries in South Asia, East Asia and Africa.

Prior to joining the World Bank, he served for fifteen years in the erstwhile Civil Service of Pakistan and in the Government of Bangladesh, lastly as Joint Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance. Dr. Ahmed began his professional career as a Lecturer in Economics at Dhaka University.

Dr. Ahmed obtained the first position in his class (first class first) in both BA (Hons.) and MA in Economics from Dhaka University. He subsequently received another MA in Development Economics from Williams College, USA, and a PhD in Economics from Princeton University, while on leave from his civil service appointment.

The Cabinet:
(1) There shall be a Cabinet for Bangladesh having the Prime Minister at its head and comprising also such other Minister as the Prime Minister may from time to time designate.
(2) The executive power of the Republic shall, in accordance with this Constitution, be exercised by or on the authority of the Prime Minister.
(3) The Cabinet shall be collectively responsible to Parliament.
(4) All executive actions of the Government shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President.
(5) The President shall by rules specify the manner in which orders and other instruments made in his name shall be attested of authenticated, and the validity or any order of instrument so attested or authenticated shall not be questioned in any court on the ground that it was not duly made or executed.
(6) The President shall make rules for the allocation and transaction of the business of the Government.

Tenure of office of other Ministers:
(1) The office of a Minister other than the Prime Minister shall become vacant-
(a) if he resigns from office by placing his resignation in the hands of the Prime Minister for submission to the President;
(b) if he ceases to be a member of Parliament, but this shall not be applicable to a Minister chosen under the proviso to article 56(2);
(c) if the President, pursuant to the provisions of clause (2), so directs; or
(d) as provided in clause (4).
(2) The Prime Minister may at any time request a Minister to resign, and if such Minister fails to comply with the request, may advise the President to terminate the appointment of such Minister.
(3) Nothing in sub-clauses (a), (b), and (d) of clause (1) shall disqualify a Minister for holding office during any period in which Parliament stands dissolved.
(4) If the Prime Minister resigns from or ceases to hold office each of the other Ministers shall be deemed also to have resigned from office but shall, subject to the provisions of the Chapter, continue to hold office until his successor has entered upon office.
(5) In this article "Minister" includes Minister of State and Deputy Minister.

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