Evolution of the criminal justice system in Bangladesh: colonial legacies, trends and issues

Bangladesh bears the legacy of a system from the British colonial rulers who gradually replaced the Mughal system of administration of justice which was mostly based on Islamic principles. Over the years, the criminal laws of Bangladesh have undergone numerous peripheral amendments. While making a pen picture of the evolution of Bangladesh’s criminal justice system, this paper argues that although enactment of colonial legislation has been considered a major achievement in terms of aligning the then prevalent criminal legislation with common law principles, it has now become necessary to make major changes and additions in its legal regime.