Lesson 3/34 min
Key facts of the constitution
At a glance
- Adopted 4 November 1972; in force 16 December 1972
- 153 articles in 11 parts
- Written and rigid (amendment needs a two-thirds vote in Parliament)
- The Supreme Court is the guardian and interpreter of the constitution
- Drafted in English; the original copy is kept at the National Museum
The four principles of 1972
- Nationalism (Bengali nationalism)
- Socialism
- Democracy
- Secularism
Did you know?: Under military rule the principles were changed: faith in Almighty Allah replaced secularism, ‘Bangladeshi’ replaced ‘Bengali’ nationalism, and socialism meant economic and social justice. The 15th Amendment (2011) brought back the four principles of 1972.
Numbers and articles exams ask
| Item | Number (article) |
|---|---|
| Directly elected MPs | 300 (65(2)) |
| Reserved seats for women | 50 (65(3)) |
| Quorum of Parliament | 60 members (75(2)) |
| Minimum age to be an MP | 25 years (66(1)) |
| Minimum voting age | 18 years (122(2)(b)) |
| President's term | 5 years (50(1)) |
| Retirement of Supreme Court judges | 67 years (96(1)) |
| Term of an additional judge | 2 years (98) |
| Term of election commissioners | 5 years (118(3)) |
| Time for the President to assent to a bill | 15 days (80(3)) |
Watch out: These numbers follow the constitution in force in November 2026. The books disagree on the number of schedules (9 and 7), so it is left out here.
Check yourself
When did the constitution come into force?
At a glance
- 1
Adopted 4 November 1972, in force 16 December 1972.
- 2
153 articles in 11 parts; written and rigid.
- 3
The four principles of 1972: nationalism, socialism, democracy, secularism.
- 4
300 directly elected seats in Parliament, 50 reserved seats for women.
- 5
The Supreme Court is the guardian of the constitution.