Whether Bangladesh is a democratic country or not

Whether Bangladesh is a democratic country or not


* According to Article 7(1) of our Constitution, “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.”

* According to Article 8(1) of our Constitution, “There are four fundamental principles of our country. And 'Democracy' is one of them.

* According to Article 11 of our Constitution, “The Republic shall be a democracy in which fundamental human rights and freedoms and respects for the dignity and worth of the human person shall be guaranteed, [and in which effective participation by the people through their elected representatives in administration at all levels shall be ensured].

On the basis of above three Articles, it is to be said that Bangladesh is a Democratic Country.


According to Article 55(1) of our Constitution, “There shall be a Cabinet for Bangladesh having the Prime Minister at its head and comprising also such other Ministers as the Prime Minister may from time to time designate”. According to Article 55(2) of our Constitution, “The executive power of the Republic shall, in accordance with this Constitution, be exercised by or on the authority of the Prime Minister.”


It seems that the Cabinet in Bangladesh is like a solar system where the Prime Minister is the sun and the others are planets because by virtue of Articles 55(1) & 55(2) the appointment of Cabinet Ministers, removal of Cabinet Ministers, the size of Cabinet Ministers- all things depend on the sweet will of the Prime Minister. According to Article 70(1) of our Constitution , “A person elected as a Member of Parliament (M.P.) at an election at which he was nominated as a candidate by a political party shall vacate his seat if he resigns from that party or votes in Parliament against that party.”


One of the basic principles of Democracy is “Liberty”. And this basic principle is nabbed by Article 55(1), 55(2) & 70(1) of our constitution. So now the question arises whether Bangladesh is a Democratic Country or not.

Mohammad Rayhan Uddin,

Department of Law,
LL.B. (Honors), LL.M. (9th Batch),

Premier University, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Cell No: +8801914676110