Bangladesh Bar Council

Bangladesh Bar Council 

The Bangladesh Bar Council is a Statutory Autonomous Body of the Government constituted under the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972 (President’s Order No. 46 of 1972). It consists of 15 (fifteen) Members of whom the Attorney – General for Bangladesh is one and is the Chairman ex-officio. Others are elected by Advocates for a term of 3 (three) years from amongst themselves, of whom seven from General Seats and seven from seven Zonal or Group Seats. The elected members, in their first meeting, elected from amongst themselves a vice-chairman and different standing Committees, viz- Executive Committee, Finance Committee, Legal Education Committee etc. There is no membership in the Bangladesh Bar Council. Bangladesh Bar Council is a licensing & regularity body for all Advocates of Bangladesh.

Enrollment as Advocate does not mean the Membership of the Bar Council

When anybody’s name is entered in the roll of the Bar Council he/ she will be known as Advocate but not as a Member of the Bar Council. Membership of the Bar Council is quite different thing. This is an elected position. Advocates on the roll elect from amongst themselves 14 persons as Members of the Bar Council for a term of three years. The Government may, in some extraordinary situation, nominate persons to act as Members of the Bar Council.

Membership of a Bar Association is Mandatory

No person shall practiced as an Advocate unless he is a member of a Bar Association of the place at which he ordinarily practices.- [Rule- 06(1)]. Therefore, an Advocate who is not a member of any recognized Bar Association, is not entitled to appear, act and plead before any Court, Tribunal or revenue authority Bangladesh.