THE CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, 1908

1.(1) This Act may be cited as the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

(2) It shall come into force on the first day of January, 1909.

(3) It extends to the whole of Bangladesh.

2. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-

(1) “Code” includes rules:

(2) “decree” means the formal expression of an adjudication which, so far as regards the Court expressing it, conclusively determines the rights of the parties with regard to all or any of the matters in controversy in the suit and may be either preliminary or final. It shall be deemed to include the rejection of a plaint and the determination of any question within ²[ * * *] section 144, but shall not include-

(a) any adjudication from which an appeal lies as an appeal from an order, or

(b) any order of dismissal for default.

Explanation.-A decree is preliminary when further proceedings have to be taken before the suit can be completely disposed of. It is final when such adjudication completely disposes of the suit. It may be partly preliminary and partly final:

(3) “decree-holder” means any person in whose favour a decree has been passed or an order capable of execution has been made:

(4) “district” means the local limits of the jurisdiction of a principal Civil Court of original jurisdiction (hereinafter called a “District Court”), and includes the local limits of the ordinary original civil jurisdiction of the High Court Division:

(5) “foreign Court” means a Court situate beyond the limits of Bangladesh which has no authority in Bangladesh and is not established or continued by the Government:

(6) “foreign judgment” means the judgment of a foreign Court:

(7) “Government Pleader” includes any officer appointed by the Government to perform all or any of the functions expressly imposed by this Code on the Government Pleader and also any pleader acting under the directions of the Government Pleader:

(8) “Judge” means the presiding officer of a Civil Court:

(9) “Judgment” means the statement given by the Judge of the grounds of a decree or order:

(10) “Judgment-debtor” means any person against whom a decree has been passed or an order capable of execution has been made:

(11) “legal representative” means a person who in law represents the estate of a deceased person, and includes any person who intermeddles with the estate of the deceased and where a party sues or is sued in a representative character the person on whom the estate devolves on the death of the party so suing or sued:

(12) “mesne profits” of property means those profits which the person in wrongful possession of such property actually received or might with ordinary diligence have received therefrom, together with interest on such profits but shall not include profits due to improvements made by the person in wrongful possession:

(13) “movable property” includes growing crops:

(14) “order” means the formal expression of any decision of a Civil Court which is not a decree:

(15) “pleader” means any person entitled to appear and plead for another in Court ³[ * * *]:

(16) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules:

(17) “public officer” means a person falling under any of the following descriptions, namely:-

(a) every Judge;

(b) every member of the Civil Service of ⁴[ The Republic];

(c) every commissioned or gazetted officer in the military, naval or air forces of Bangladesh while in the service of the ⁵[ Republic];

(d) every officer of a Court of Justice whose duty it is, as such officer, to investigate or report on any matter of law or fact, or to make, authenticate or keep any document, or to take charge or dispose of any property, or to execute any judicial process, or to administer any oath, or to interpret, or to preserve order, in the Court, and every person especially authorised by a Court of Justice to perform any of such duties;

(e) every person who holds any office by virtue of which he is empowered to place or keep any person in confinement;

(f) every officer of the Government whose duty it is, as such officer, to prevent offences, to give information of offences, to bring offenders to justice, or to protect the public health, safety or convenience;

(g) every officer whose duty it is, as such officer, to take, receive, keep or expend any property on behalf of the Government, or to make any survey, assessment or contract on behalf of the Government, or to execute any revenue-process, or to investigate, or to report on, any matter affecting the pecuniary interest of the Government, or to make, authenticate or keep any document relating to the pecuniary interests of the Government, or to prevent the infraction of any law for the protection of the pecuniary interests of the Government; and

(h) every officer in the service or pay of the ⁶[ Republic], or remunerated by fees or commission for the performance of any public duty:

(18) “rules” means rules and forms contained in the First Schedule or made under section 122 or section 125:

(19) “share in a corporation” shall be deemed to include stock, debenture stock, debentures or bonds: and

(20) “signed”, save in the case of a judgment or decree, includes stamped.

3. For the purposes of this Code, the District Court is subordinate to the High Court Division, and every Civil Court of a grade inferior to that of a District Court and every Court of Small Causes is subordinate to the High Court Division and District Court.

4.(1) In the absence of any specific provision to the contrary, nothing in this Code shall be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any special ⁷[ * * *] law now in force or any special jurisdiction or power conferred, or any special form of procedure prescribed, by or under any other law for the time being in force.

(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the proposition contained in sub-section (1), nothing in this Code shall be deemed to limit or otherwise affect any remedy which a land-holder or landlord may have under any law for the time being in force for the recovery of rent of agricultural land from the produce of such land.

5.(1) Where any Revenue Courts are governed by the provisions of this Code in those matters of procedure upon which any special enactment applicable to them is silent, the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare that any portions of those provisions which are not expressly made applicable by this Code shall not apply to those Courts, or shall only apply to them with such notifications as the Government may prescribe.

(2) “Revenue Court” in sub-section (1) means a Court having jurisdiction under any ⁸[ * * *] law to entertain suits or other proceedings relating to the rent, revenue or profits of land used for agricultural purposes, but does not include a Civil Court having original jurisdiction under this Code to try such suits or proceedings as being suits or proceedings of a civil nature.

6. Save in so far as is otherwise expressly provided, nothing herein contained shall operate to give any Court jurisdiction over suits the amount or value of the subject-matter of which exceeds the pecuniary limits (if any) of its ordinary jurisdiction.

7. The following provisions shall not extend to Courts constituted under the ⁹[ * * *] Small Cause Courts Act, 1887, or to Courts exercising the jurisdiction of a Court of Small Causes under the said Act, that is to say,-

(a) so much of the body of the Code as relates to-

(i) suits excepted from the cognizance of a Court of Small Causes;

(ii) the execution of decrees in such suits;

(iii) the execution of decrees against immovable property; and

(b) the following sections, that is to say,-

section 9,

sections 91 and 92,

sections 94 and 95 so far as they authorise or relate to-

(i) orders for the attachment of immovable

property,

(ii) injunctions,

(iii) the appointment of a receiver of immovable property, or

(iv) the interlocutory orders referred to in clause (e) of section 94; and

sections 96 to 112 and 115.

8. [Omitted by the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinance Order, 1949].

9. The Courts shall (subject to the provisions herein contained) have jurisdiction to try all suits of a civil nature excepting suits of which their cognizance is either expressly or impliedly barred.

Explanation.-A suit in which the right to property or to an office is contested is a suit of a civil nature, notwithstanding that such right may depend entirely on the decision of questions as to religious rites or ceremonies.

10. No Court shall proceed with the trial of any suit in which the matter in issue is also directly and substantially in issue in a previously instituted suit between the same parties, or between parties under whom they or any of them claim litigating under the same title where such suit is pending in the same or any other Court in Bangladesh having jurisdiction to grant the relief claimed, or in any Court beyond the limits of Bangladesh established or continued by the Government and having like jurisdiction, or before the Supreme Court.

Explanation.-The pendency of a suit in a foreign Court does not preclude the Court in Bangladesh from trying a suit founded on the same cause of action.

11. No Court shall try any suit or issue in which the matter directly and substantially in issue has been directly and substantially in issue in a former suit between the same parties, or between parties under whom they or any of them claim, litigating under the same title, in a court competent to try such subsequent suit or the suit in which such issue has been subsequently raised, and has been heard and finally decided by such Court.

Explanation I.-The expression “former suit” shall denote a suit which has been decided prior to the suit in question whether or not it was instituted prior thereto.

Explanation II.-For the purposes of this section, the competence of a Court shall be determined irrespective of any provisions as to a right of appeal from the decision of such Court.

Explanation III.-The matter above referred to must in the former suit have been alleged by one party and either denied or admitted, expressly or impliedly, by the other.

Explanation IV.-Any matter which might and ought to have been made ground of defence or attack in such former suit shall be deemed to have been a matter directly and substantially in issue in such suit.

Explanation V.-Any relief claimed in the plaint, which is not expressly granted by the decree, shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to have been refused.

Explanation VI.-Where persons litigate bona fide in respect of a public right or of a private right claimed in common for themselves and others, all persons interested in such right shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed to claim under the persons so litigating.

12. Where a plantiff is precluded by rules from instituting a further suit in respect of any particular cause of action, he shall not be entitled to institute a suit in respect of such cause of action in any Court to which this Code applies.

13. A foreign judgment shall be conclusive as to any matter thereby directly adjudicated upon between the same parties or between parties under whom they or any of them claim litigating under the same title except-

(a) where it has not been pronounced by a Court of competent jurisdiction;

(b) where it has not been given on the merits of the case;

(c) where it appears on the face of the proceedings to be founded on an incorrect view of international law or a refusal to recognise the law of Bangladesh in cases in which such law is applicable;

(d) where the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained are opposed to natural justice;

(e) where it has been obtained by fraud;

(f) where it sustains a claim founded on a breach of any law in force in Bangladesh.

14. The Court shall presume, upon the production of any document purporting to be a certified copy of a foreign judgment, that such judgment was pronounced by a Court of competent jurisdiction, unless the contrary appears on the record; but such presumption may be displaced by proving want of jurisdiction.

15. Every suit shall be instituted in the Court of the lowest grade competent to try it.

16. Subject to the pecuniary or other limitations prescribed by any law, suits-

(a) for the recovery of immovable property with or without rent or profits,

(b) for the partition of immovable property,

(c) for foreclosure, sale or redemption in the case of a mortgage of or charge upon immovable property,

(d) for the determination of any other right to or interest in immovable property,

(e) for compensation for wrong to immovable property,

(f) for the recovery of movable property actually under distraint or attachment,

shall be instituted in the Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the property is situate, or, in the case of suits referred to in clause (c), at the place where the cause of action has wholly or partly arisen:

Provided that a suit to obtain relief respecting, or compensation for wrong to, immovable property held by or on behalf of the defendant may, where the relief sought can be entirely obtained through his personal obedience, be instituted either in the Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the property is situate, or, in the case of suits referred to in clause (c), at the place where the cause of action has wholly or partly arisen, or in the Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the defendant actually and voluntarily resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gain.

Explanation.-In this section “property’ means property situate in Bangladesh.

17. Where a suit is to obtain relief respecting, or compensation for wrong to, immovable property situate within the jurisdiction of different Courts, the suit may be instituted in any Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction any portion of the property is situate:

Provided that, in respect of the value of the subject-matter of the suit, the entire claim is cognizable by such Court

18.(1) Where it is alleged to be uncertain within the local limits of the jurisdiction of which of two or more Courts any immovable property is situate, any one of those Courts may, if satisfied that there is ground for the alleged uncertainly, record a statement to that effect and thereupon proceed to entertain and dispose of any suit relating to that property, and its decree in the suit shall have the same effect as if the property were situate within the local limits of its jurisdiction:

Provided that the suit is one with respect to which the Court is competent as regards the nature and value of the suit to exercise jurisdiction.

(2) Where a statement has not been recorded under sub-section (1), and an objection is taken before an appellate or revisional Court that a decree or order in a suit relating to such property was made by a Court not having jurisdiction where the property is situate, the appellate or revisional Court shall not allow the objection unless in its opinion there was, at the time of the institution of the suit, no reasonable ground for uncertainly as to the Court having jurisdiction with respect thereto and there has been a consequent failure of justice.

19. Where a suit is for compensation for wrong done to the person or to movable property, if the wrong was done within the local limits of the jurisdiction of one Court and the defendant resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gain, within the local limits of the jurisdiction of another Court, the suit may be instituted at the option of the plantiff in either of the said Courts.

(a) A, residing in ¹⁰[ Chittagong] beats B in Dhaka.

B may sue A either in Dhaka or in ¹¹[ Chittagong].

(b) A, residing in ¹²[ Chittagong] publishes in Dhaka statements defamatory of B. B may sue A either in Dhaka, or in ¹³[ Chittagong].

20. Subject to the limitations aforesaid, every suit shall be instituted in a Court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction.

(a) the defendant, or each of the defendants where there are more than one, at the time of the commencement of the suit, actually or voluntarily resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gain; or

(b) any of the defendants, where there are more than one, at the time of the commencement of the suit, actually or voluntarily resides, or carries on business, or personally works for gain, provided that in such case either the leave of the Court is given, or the defendants who do not reside, or carry on business, or personally work for gain, as aforesaid, acquiesce in such institution; or

(c) the cause of action, wholly or in part, arises.

Explanation I.-Where a person has a permanent dwelling at one place and also a temporary residence at another place, he shall be deemed to reside at both places in respect of any cause of action arising at the place where he has such temporary residence.

Explanation II.-A Corporation shall be deemed to carry on business at its sole or principal office in Bangladesh or, in respect of any cause of action arising at any place where it has also a subordinate office, at such place.

(a) A is a tradesman in Dhaka. B carries on business in ¹⁴[ Chittagong]. B, by his agent in Dhaka, buys goods of A and requests A to deliver them to the ¹⁵[ Bangladesh Biman]. A delivers the goods accordingly in Dhaka. A may sue B for the price of the goods either in Dhaka, where the cause of action has arisen, or in ¹⁶[ Chittagong], where B carries on business.

(b) A resides at ¹⁷[ Cox’s Bazar], B at Dhaka and C at ¹⁸[ Chittagong]. A, B and C being together at ¹⁹[ Khulna], B and C make a joint promissiory note payable on demand, and deliver it to A. A may sue B and C ²⁰[ at Khulna], where the cause of action arose. He may also sue them at Dhaka, where B resides, or at ²¹[ Chittagong], where C resides; but in each of these cases, if the non-resident defendant objects, the suit cannot proceed without the leave of the Court.

21. No objection as to the place of suing shall be allowed by any appellate or revisional Court unless such objection was taken in the Court of first instance at the earliest possible opportunity and in all cases where issues are settled at or before such settlement, and unless there has been a consequent failure of justice.

22. Where a suit may be instituted in any one of two or 22. Where a suit may be instituted in any one of two or more Courts and is instituted in one of such Courts, any defendant, after notice to the other parties, may, at the earliest possible opportunity and in all cases where issues are settled at or before such settlement, apply to have the suit transferred to another Court, and the Court to which such application is made, after considering the objections of the other parties (if any), shall determine in which of the several Courts having jurisdiction the suit shall proceed.

23.(1) Where the several Courts having jurisdiction are subordinate to the same Appellate Court, an application under section 22 shall be made to the Appellate Court.

(2) Where such Courts are subordinate to different Appellate Courts ²²[ * * *], the application shall be made to the ²³[ * * *] High Court Division.

(3) [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]

24.(1) On the application of any of the parties and after notice to the parties and after hearing such of them as desire to be heard, or of its own motion without such notice, the High Court Division or the District Court may at any stage-

(a) transfer any suit, appeal or other proceeding pending before it for trial or disposal to any Court subordinate to it and competent to try or dispose of the same, or

(b) withdraw any suit, appeal or other proceeding pending in any Court subordinate to it, and

(i) try or dispose of the same; or

(ii) transfer the same for trial or disposal to any Court subordinate to it and competent to try or dispose of the same; or

(iii) retransfer the same for trial or disposal to the Court from which it was withdrawn.

(2) Where any suit or proceeding has been transferred or withdrawn under sub-section (1), the Court which thereafter tries such suit may, subject to any special directions in the case of any order of transfer, either retry it or proceed from the point at which it was transferred or withdrawn.

(3) For the purposes of this section, Courts of Additional and Assistant Judges shall be deemed to be subordinate to the District Court.

(4) The Court trying any suit transferred or withdrawn under this section from a Court of Small Causes shall, for the purposes of such suit, be deemed to be a Court of Small Causes.

²⁴[ 24A.(1) Where any suit is transferred under section 22, or any suit, appeal or other proceeding is transferred or withdrawn under sub-section (1) of section 24 on the application of a party, the Court ordering the transfer or withdrawal shall fix a date for the appearance of the parties before itself, if the suit, appeal or other proceeding is to be tried or disposed of by itself, or before the Court to which the case is so transferred.

(2) Where any suit, appeal or other proceeding is transferred from one Court to another, otherwise than on the application of a party, the parties thereto shall appear before the Court from which the suit, appeal or other proceedings is to be transferred, on the day already fixed for their appearance before that Court, and such Court shall then communicate the order of transfer to such parties and direct them to appear before the Court to which the suit, appeal or other proceeding is to be transferred, either on the same day, or on such earliest day as may be reasonable having regard to the distance at which the other Court is located.]

25. [Omitted by the Schedule of the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (Ordinance No. XXI of 1960).]

26. Every suit shall be instituted by the presentation of a plaint or in such other manner as may be prescribed

27. Where a suit has been duly instituted, a summons may be issued to the defendant to appear and answer the claim and may be served in manner prescribed.

28. [Omitted by the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973), section 3 and 2nd Schedule.]

29. Summonses and other processes issued by any Civil or Revenue Court situate outside Bangladesh may be sent to the Courts in Bangladesh and served as if they were summonses issued by such Courts:

Provided that the ²⁵[ Government] has by notification in the official Gazette declared the provisions of this section to apply to such Courts.

30. Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the Court may, at any time, either of its own motion or on the application of any party,-

(a) make such orders as may be necessary or reasonable in all matters relating to the delivery and answering of interrogatories, the admission of documents and facts, and the discovery, inspection, production, impounding and return of documents or other material objects producible as evidence;

(b) issue summonses to persons whose attendance is required either to give evidence or to produce documents or such other objects as aforesaid;

(c) order any fact to be proved by affidavit.

31. The provisions in sections 27, 28 and 29 shall apply to summonses to give evidence or to produce documents or other material objects.

32. The Court may compel the attendance of any person to whom a summons has been issued under section 30 and for that purpose may-

(a) issue a warrant for his arrest;

(b) attach and sell his property;

(c) impose a fine upon him not exceeding five hundred Taka;

(d) order him to furnish security for his appearance and in default commit him to the civil prison.

33. The Court, after the case has been heard, shall pronounce judgment, and on such judgment a decree shall follow.

34.(1) Where and in so far as a decree is for the payment of money, the Court may, in the decree, order interest at such rate as the Court deems reasonable to be paid on the principal sum adjudged, from the date of the suit to the date of the decree, in addition to any interest adjudged on such principal sum for any period prior to the institution of the suit, with further interest at such rate as the Court deems reasonable on the aggregate sum so adjudged, from the date of the decree to the date of payment, or to such earlier date as the Court thinks fit.

2) Where such a decree is silent with respect to the payment of further interest on such aggregate sum as aforesaid from the date of the decree to the date of payment or other earlier date, the Court shall be deemed to have refused such interest, and a separate suit therefor shall not lie.

35.(1) Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, and to the provisions of any law for the time being in force, the costs of and incident to all suits shall be in the discretion of the Court, and the Court shall have full power to determine by whom or out of what property and to what extent such costs are to be paid, and to give all necessary directions for the purposes aforesaid. The fact that the Court has no jurisdiction to try the suit shall be no bar to the exercise of such powers.

(2) Where the Court directs that any costs shall not follow the event, the Court shall state its reasons in writing.

(3) The Court may give interest on costs at any rate not exceeding six per cent. per annum, and such interest shall be added to the costs and shall be recoverable as such.

²⁶[ 35A.(1) If in any suit or other proceeding, including an execution proceeding, not being an appeal, any party objects to the claim or defence on the ground that the claim or defence, or any part of it, is false or vexatious, and if, thereafter, such claim or defence is disallowed, in whole or in part, the Court shall, after recording its reasons for holding such claim or defence to be false or vexatious, make an order for the payment to the objector, such cost by way of compensation which may, without exceeding the limit of the Court’s pecuniary jurisdiction, extend upto twenty thousand taka.

(2) No person against whom an order has been made under this section shall, by reason thereof, be exempted from any criminal liability in respect of any claim or defence made by him.

(3) The amount of any cost awarded under this section in respect of a false or vexatious claim or defence shall be taken into account in any subsequent suit for damages or compensation in respect of such claim or defence.]

²⁷[ 35B.(1) If at any stage of a suit or proceeding, an application or written objection is not filed within the time fixed by the Court, such application or written objection, as the case may be, shall not be admitted for hearing without payment by that party of such cost to the other party not exceeding two thousand taka.

(2) If after filing of written statement, any party to the suit makes an application in respect of any matter which, in the opinion of the Court, could and ought to have been made earlier, and is likely to delay the main proceeding of the suit, the Court may admit, but shall not hear and dispose of the application, without payment by that party of such cost to the other party not exceeding three thousand taka, as it shall determine and direct, and upon failure to pay the cost, the application shall stand rejected.]

36. The provisions of this Code relating to the execution of decrees shall, so far as they are applicable, be deemed to apply to the execution of orders.

37. The expression “Court which passed a decree,” or words to that effect, shall, in relation to the execution of decrees, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, be deemed to include,-

(a) where the decree to be executed has been passed in the exercise of appellate jurisdiction, the Court of first instance, and

(b) where the Court of first instance has ceased to exist or to have jurisdiction to execute it, the Court which, if the suit wherein the decree was passed was instituted at the time of making the application for the execution of the decree, would have jurisdiction to try such suit.

38. A decree may be executed either by the Court which passed it, or by the Court to which it is sent for execution.

39.(1) The Court which passed a decree may, on the application of the decree-holder, send it for execution to another Court,-

(a) if the person against whom the decree is passed actually and voluntarily resides or carries on business, or personally works for gain, within the local limits of the jurisdiction of such other Court, or

(b) if such person has not property within the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Court which passed the decree sufficient to satisfy such decree and has property within the local limits of the jurisdiction of such other Court, or

(c) if the decree directs the sale or delivery of immovable property situate outside the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Court which passed it, or

(d) if the Court which passed the decree considers for any other reason, which it shall record in writing, that the decree should be executed by such other Court.

(2) The Court which passed a decree may of its own motion send it for execution to any subordinate Court of competent jurisdiction.

40. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]

41. The Court to which a decree is sent for execution shall certify to the Court which passed it the fact of such execution, or where the former Court fails to execute the same the circumstances attending such failure.

42.(1) The Court executing a decree sent to it shall have the same powers in executing such decree as if it had been passed by itself. All persons disobeying or obstructing the execution of the decree shall be punishable by such Court in the same manner as if it had passed the decree. And its order in executing such decree shall be subject to the same rules in respect of appeal as if the decree had been passed by itself.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the Court executing a decree sent to it shall have the following powers, namely:-

(a) power under section 39 to transfer the decree to another Court, if necessary;

(b) power under sub-section (1) of section 50 to permit execution to proceed against the legal representatives of a deceased judgment-debtor;

(c) power under section 152 to correct clerical or arithmetical errors;

(d) power under rule 16 of Order XXI to recognise the assignment of a decree;

(e) power under sub-rule (2) of rule 50 of Order XXI to grant leave to a decree-holder to proceed against a person not already recognised as a partner in a firm in an execution proceeding against the firm;

(f) power under clause (b) of sub-rule (1) of rule 53 of Order XXI to give notice of attachment of decree passed by another Court.

43. Any decree passed by a Civil Court established in any area in Bangladesh to which the provisions relating to execution do not extend, ²⁸[ * * *] may, if it cannot be executed within the jurisdiction of the Court by which it was passed, be executed in manner herein provided within the jurisdiction of any Court in Bangladesh.

44. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]

²⁹[ 44A.(1) Where a certified copy of a decree of any of the superior Courts of ³⁰[ * * *] any reciprocating territory has been filed in a District Court, the decree may be executed in Bangladesh as if it had been passed by the District Court.

(2) Together with the certified copy of the decree shall be filed a certificate from such superior Court stating the extent, if any, to which the decree has been satisfied or adjusted and such certificate shall, for the purposes of proceedings under this section, be conclusive proof of the extent of such satisfaction or adjustment.

(3) The provisions of section 47 shall as from the filing of the certified copy of the decree apply to the proceedings of a District Court executing a decree under this section, and the District Court shall refuse execution of any such decree, if it is shown to the satisfaction of the Court that the decree falls within any of the exceptions specified in clauses (a) to (f) of section 13.]

³¹[ * * *]

Explanation 2.- “Reciprocating territory” means ³²[ any] country or territory as the Government may, from time to time, by notification in the official Gazette, declare to be reciprocating territory for the purposes of this section; and “Superior Courts”, with reference to any such territory, means such Courts as may be specified in the said notification.

Explanation 3.- “Decree”, with reference to a superior Court, means any decree or judgment of such Court under which a sum of money is payable, not being a sum payable in respect of taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty, and

³³[ * * *]

(b) in no case includes an arbitration award, even if such award is enforceable as a decree or judgment.]

45. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]

46.(1) Upon the application of the decree-holder the Court which passed the decree may, whenever it thinks fit, issue a precept to any other Court which would be competent to execute such decree to attach any property belonging to the judgment-debtor and specified in the precept.

(2) The Court to which a precept is sent shall proceed to attach the property in the manner prescribed in regard to the attachment of property in execution of a decree:

Provided that no attachment under a precept shall continue for more than two months unless the period of attachment is extended by an order of the Court which passed the decree or unless before the determination of such attachment the decree has been transferred to the Court by which the attachment has been made and the decree-holder has applied for an order for the sale of such property.

47. [Omitted by section 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance, 1983 (Ordinance No. XLVIII of 1983).]

48.(1) Where an application to execute a decree not being a decree granting an injunction has been made, no order for the execution of the same decree shall be made upon any fresh application presented after the expiration of twelve years from

(a) the date of the decree sought to be executed, or,

(b) where the decree or any subsequent order directs any payment of money or the delivery of any property to be made at a certain date or at recurring periods, the date of the default in making the payment or delivery in respect of which the applicant seeks to execute the decree.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed

(a) to preclude the Court from ordering the execution of a decree upon an application presented after the expiration of the said term of twelve years, where the judgment-debtor has, by fraud or force, prevented the execution of the decree at some time within twelve years immediately before the date of the application; or

(b) to limit or otherwise affect the operation of article 183 of the First Schedule to the Limitation Act, 1908.

49. Every transferee of a decree shall hold the same subject to the equities (if any) which the judgment-debtor might have enforced against the original decree-holder.

50.(1) Where a judgment-debtor dies before the decree has been fully satisfied, the holder of the decree may apply to the Court which passed it to execute the same against the legal representative of the deceased.

(2) Where the decree is executed against such legal representative, he shall be liable only to the extent of the property of the deceased which has come to his hands and has not been duly disposed of; and, for the purpose of ascertaining such liability, the Court executing the decree may, of its own motion or on the application of the decree-holder, compel such legal representative to produce such accounts as it thinks fit.

51. Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the Court may, on the application of the decree-holder, order execution of the decree-

(a) by delivery of any property specifically decreed;

(b) by attachment and sale or by sale without attachment of any property;

(c) by arrest and detention in prison;

(d) by appointing a receiver; or

(e) in such other manner as the nature of the relief granted may require:

Provided that, where the decree is for the payment of money, execution by detention in prison shall not be ordered unless, after giving the judgment-debtor an opportunity of showing cause why he should not be committed to prison, the Court, for reasons recorded in writing, is satisfied-

(a) that the judgment-debtor, with the object or effect of obstructing or delaying the execution of the decree,-

(i) is likely to abscond or leave the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Court, or

(ii) has, after the institution of the suit in which the decree was passed, dishonestly transferred, concealed, or removed any part of his property, or committed any other act of bad faith in relation to his property; or

(b) that the judgment-debtor has, or has had since the date of the decree, the means to pay the amount of the decree or some substantial part thereof and refuses or neglects or has refused or neglected to pay the same, or

(c) that the decree is for a sum for which the judgment-debtor was bound in a fiduciary capacity to account.

Explanation.-In the calculation of the means of the judgment-debtor for the purposes of clause (b), there shall be left out of account any property which, by or under any law or custom having the force of law for the time being in force, is exempt from attachment in execution of the decree.

52.(1) Where a decree is passed against a party as the legal representative of a deceased person, and the decree is for the payment of money out of the property of the deceased, it may be executed by the attachment and sale of any such property.

(2) Where no such property remains in the possession of the judgment-debtor and he fails to satisfy the Court that he has duly applied such property of the deceased as is proved to have come into his possession, the decree may be executed against the judgment-debtor to the extent of the property in respect of which he has failed so to satisfy the Court in the same manner as if the decree had been against him personally.

53. For the purposes of section 50 and section 52, property in the hands of a son or other descendant which is liable under Hindu law for the payment of the debt of a deceased ancestor, in respect of which a decree has been passed, shall be deemed to be property of the deceased which has come to the hands of the son or other descendant as his legal representative.

54. Where the decree is for the partition of an undivided estate assessed to the payment of revenue to the Government, or for the separate possession of a share of such an estate, the partition of the estate or the separation of the share shall be made by the Collector or any gazetted subordinate of the Collector deputed by him in this behalf, in accordance with the law (if any) for the time being in force relating to the partition, or the separate possession of shares, of such estates.

55.(1) A judgment-debtor may be arrested in execution of a decree at any hour and on any day, and shall, as soon as practicable, be brought before the Court, and his detention may be in the civil prison of the district in which the Court ordering the detention is situate, or, where such civil prison does not afford suitable accommodation, in any other place which the Government may appoint for the detention of persons ordered by the Courts of such district to be detained:

Provided, firstly, that, for the purpose of making an arrest under this section, no dwelling-house shall be entered after sunset and before sunrise:

Provided, secondly, that no outer door of a dwelling-house shall be broken open unless such dwelling-house is in the occupancy of the judgment-debtor and he refuses or in any way prevents access thereto, but when the officer authorised to make the arrest has duly gained access to any dwelling-house, he may break open the door of any room in which he has reason to believe the judgment-debtor is to be found:

Provided, thirdly, that, if the room is in the actual occupancy of a woman who is not the judgement-debtor and who according to the customs of the country does not appear in public, the officer authorised to make the arrest shall give notice to her that she is at liberty to withdraw, and, after allowing a reasonable time for her to withdraw and giving her reasonable facility for withdrawing, may enter the room for the purpose of making the arrest:

Provided, fourthly, that, where the decree in execution of which a judgment-debtor is arrested, is a decree for the payment of money and the judgment-debtor pays the amount of the decree and the costs of the arrest to the officer arresting him, such officer shall at once release him.

(2) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare that any person or class of persons whose arrest might be attended with danger or inconvenience to the public shall not be liable to arrest in execution of a decree otherwise than in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the Government in this behalf.

(3) Where a judgment-debtor is arrested in execution of a decree for the payment of money and brought before the Court, the Court shall inform him that he may apply to be declared an insolvent, and that he may be discharged if he has not committed any act of bad faith regarding the subject of the application and if he complies with the provisions of the law of insolvency for the time being in force.

(4) Where a judgment-debtor expresses his intention to apply to be declared an insolvent and furnishes security, to the satisfaction of the Court, that he will within one month so apply, and that he will appear, when called upon, in any proceeding upon the application or upon the decree in execution of which he was arrested, the Court may release him from arrest, and, if he fails so to apply and to appear, the Court may either direct the security to be realized or commit him to the civil prison in execution of the decree.

56. Notwithstanding anything in this Part, the Court shall not order the arrest or detention in the civil prison of a woman in execution of a decree for the payment of money.

57. The Government may fix scales, graduated according to rank, race and nationality, of monthly allowances payable for the subsistence of judgment-debtors.

58.(1) Every person detained in the civil prison in execution of a decree shall be so detained,-

(a) where the decree is for the payment of a sum of money exceeding fifty Taka, for a period of six months, and,

(b) in any other case for a period of six weeks:

Provided that he shall be released from such detention before the expiration of the said period of six months or six weeks, as the case may be,-

(i) on the amount mentioned in the warrant for his detention being paid to the officer in charge of the civil prison, or

(ii) on the decree against him being otherwise fully satisfied, or

(iii) on the request of the person on whose application he has been so detained, or

(iv) on the omission by the person, on whose application he has been so detained, to pay subsistence allowance:

Provided, also, that he shall not be released from such detention under clause (ii) or clause (iii), without the order of the Court.

(2) A judgment-debtor released from detention under this section shall not merely by reason of his release be discharged from his debt, but he shall not be liable to be re-arrested under the decree in execution of which he was detained in the civil prison.

59.(1) At any time after a warrant for the arrest of a judgment-debtor has been issued the Court may cancel it on the ground of his serious illness.

(2) Where a judgment-debtor has been arrested, the Court may release him if, in its opinion, he is not in a fit state of health to be detained in the civil prison.

(3) Where a judgment-debtor has been committed to the civil prison, he may be released therefrom-

(a) by the Government, on the ground of the existence of any infectious or contagious disease, or

(b) by the committing Court, or any Court to which that Court is subordinate, on the ground of his suffering from any serious illness.

(4) A judgment-debtor released under this section may be re-arrested, but the period of his detention in the civil prison shall not in the aggregate exceed that prescribed by section 58.

60.(1) The following property is liable to attachment and sale in execution of a decree, namely, lands, houses or other buildings, goods, money, bank-notes, cheques, bills of exchange, hundis, promissory notes, Government securities, bonds or other securities for money, debts, shares in a corporation and, save as hereinafter mentioned, all other saleable property, moveable or immovable, belonging to the judgment-debtor, or over which, or the profits of which, he has a disposing power which he may exercise for his own benefit, whether the same be held in the name of the judgment-debtor or by another person in trust for him or on his behalf: Provided that the following particulars shall not be liable to such attachment or sale, namely:-

(a) the necessary wearing-apparel, cooking vessels, beds and bedding of the judgment-debtor, his wife and children, and such personal ornaments as, in accordance with religious usage, cannot be parted with by any woman;

(b) tools of artisans, and, where the judgment-debtor is an agriculturist, his implements of husbandry and such cattle and seed-grain as may, in the opinion of the Court, be necessary to enable him to earn his livelihood as such, and such portion of agricultural produce or of any class of agricultural produce as may have been declared to be free from liability under the provisions of the next following section;

(c) houses and other buildings (with the materials and the sites thereof and the land immediately appurtenant thereto and necessary for their enjoyment) belonging to an agriculturist and occupied by him;

(d) books of account;

(e) a mere right to sue for damages;

(f) any right of personal service;

(g) stipends and gratuities allowed to pensioners of the Government, or payable out of any service family pension fund notified in the official Gazette by the Government or the Government in this behalf, and political pensions;

(h) the wages of labourers and domestic servants, whether payable in money or in kind;

(i) salary to the extent of the first hundred Taka and one-half the remainder:

Provided that where such salary is the salary of a Servant of the ³⁴[ Republic] or a servant of ³⁵[ the Railway] or local authority, and the whole or any part of the portion of such salary liable to attachment has been under attachment, whether continuously or intermittently for a total period of twenty-four months, such portion shall be exempt from attachment until the expiry of a further period of twelve months and, where such attachment has been made in execution of one and the same decree, shall be finally exempt from attachment in execution of that decree;

(j) the pay and allowances of persons to whom the ³⁶[ Army Act, 1952, Navy Ordinance, 1961, or the Air Force Act, 1953,] applies;

(k) all compulsory deposits and other sums in or derived from any fund to which the Provident Funds Act, 1925, for the time being applies in so far as they are declared by the said Act not to be liable to attachment;

(l) any allowance forming part of the emoluments of any servant of the ³⁷[ Republic] or of any servant of ³⁸[ the Railway] or local authority which the Government may by notification in the official Gazette declare to be exempt from attachment, and any subsistence grant or allowance made to any such servant while under suspension;

(m) an expectancy of succession by survivorship or other merely contingent or possible right or interest;

(n) a right to future maintenance;

(o) any allowance declared by any Bangladesh law to be exempt from liability to attachment or sale in execution of a decree; and,

(p) where the judgment-debtor is a person liable for the payment of land-revenue, any movable property which, under any law for the time being applicable to him, is exempt from sale for the recovery of an arrear of such revenue.

Explanation 1.-The particulars mentioned in clauses (g), (h), (i), (j), (l) and (o) are exempt from attachment or sale whether before or after they are actually payable, and in the case of salary other than salary of a servant of the ³⁹[ Republic] or a servant of ⁴⁰[ the Railway] or local authority the attachable portion thereof is exempt from attachment until it is actually payable.

Explanation 2.-In clauses (h) and (i), “salary” means the total monthly emoluments, excluding any allowance declared exempt from attachment under the provisions of clause (l), derived by a person from his employment whether on duty or on leave.

⁴¹[ * * *]

(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to exempt houses and other buildings (with the materials and the sites thereof and the lands immediately appurtenant thereto and necessary for their enjoyment) from attachment or sale in execution of decrees for rent of any such house, building, site or land.

61. The Government may, by general or special order published in the official Gazette, declare that such portion of agricultural produce, or of any class of agricultural produce, as may appear to the Government to be necessary for the purpose of providing until the next harvest for the due cultivation of the land and for the support of the judgment-debtor and his family, shall, in the case of all agriculturists or of any class of agriculturists, be exempted from liability to attachment or sale in execution of a decree.

62.(1) No person executing any process under this Code directing or authorising seizure of movable property shall enter any dwelling-house after sunset and before sunrise.

(2) No outer door of a dwelling-house shall be broken open unless such dwelling-house is in the occupancy of the judgment-debtor and he refuses or in any way prevents access thereto, but when the person executing any such process has duly gained access to any dwelling-house, he may break open the door of any room in which he has reason to believe any such property to be.

(3) Where a room in a dwelling-house is in the actual occupancy of a woman who, according to the customs of the country, does not appear in public, the person executing the process shall give notice to such woman that she is at liberty to withdraw; and, after allowing reasonable time for her to withdraw and giving her reasonable facility for withdrawing, he may enter such room for the purpose of seizing the property, using at the same time every precaution, consistent with these provisions, to prevent its clandestine removal.

63.(1) Where property not in the custody of any Court is under attachment in execution of decrees of more Courts than one, the Court which shall receive or realize such property and shall determine any claim thereto and any objection to the attachment thereof shall be the Court of highest grade, or, where there is no difference in grade between such Courts, the Court under whose decree the property was first attached.

(2) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to invalidate any proceeding taken by a Court executing one of such decrees.

64. Where an attachment has been made, any private transfer or delivery of the property attached or of any interest therein and any payment to the judgment-debtor of any debt, dividend or other monies contrary to such attachment, shall be void as against all claims enforceable under the attachment.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, claims enforceable under an attachment include claims for the rateable distribution of assets.

65. Where immovable property is sold in execution of a decree and such sale has become absolute, the property shall be deemed to have vested in the purchaser from the time when the property is sold and not from the time when the sale becomes absolute.

66.(1) No suit shall be maintained against any person claiming title under a purchase certified by the Court in such manner as may be prescribed on the ground that the purchase was made on behalf of the plaintiff or on behalf of some one through whom the plaintiff claims.

(2) Nothing in this section shall bar a suit to obtain a declaration that the name of any purchaser certified as aforesaid was inserted in the certificate fraudulently or without the consent of the real purchaser, or interfere with the right of a third person to proceed against that property, though ostensibly sold to the certified purchaser, on the ground that it is liable to satisfy a claim of such third person against the real owner.

67.(1) The Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, make rules for any local area imposing conditions in respect of the sale of any class of interests in land in execution of decrees for the payment of money, where such interests are so uncertain or undermined as, in the opinion of the Government, to make it impossible to fix their value.

(2) When on the date on which this Code came into operation in any local area, any special rules as to sale of land in execution of decrees were in force therein, the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, declare such rules to be in force, or may, by a like notification, modify the same.

Every notification issued in the exercise of the powers conferred by this sub-section shall set out the rules so continued or modified.

68. The Government may, declare, by notification in the official Gazette, that in any local area the execution of decrees in cases in which a Court has ordered any immovable property to be sold, or the execution of any particular kind of such decrees, or the execution of decrees ordering the sale of any particular kind of, or interest in, immovable property, shall be transferred to the Collector.

69. The provisions set forth in the Third Schedule shall apply to all cases in which the execution of a decree has been transferred under the last preceding section.

70.(1) The Government may make rules consistent with the aforesaid provisions-

(a) for the transmission of the decree from the Court to the Collector, and for regulating the procedure of the Collector and his subordinates in executing the same, and for retransmitting the decree from the Collector to the Court;

(b) conferring upon the Collector or any gazetted subordinate of the Collector all or any of the powers which the Court might exercise in the execution of the decree if the execution thereof had not been transferred to the Collector;

(c) providing for orders made by the Collector or any gazetted subordinate of the Collector, or orders made on appeal with respect to such orders, being subject to appeal to, and revision by, superior revenue-authorities as nearly as may be as the orders made by the Court, or orders made on appeal with respect to such orders, would be subject to appeal to, and revision by, appellate or revisional Courts under this Code or other law for the time being in force if the decree had not been transferred to the Collector.

(2) A power conferred by rules made under sub-section (1) upon the collector or any gazetted subordinate of the Collector, or upon any appellate or revisional authority, shall not be exercisable by the Court or by any Court in exercise of any appellate or revisional jurisdiction which it has with respect to decrees or orders of the Court.

71. In executing a decree transferred to the Collector under section 68 the Collector and his subordinates shall be deemed to be acting judicially.

72.(1) Where in any local area in which no declaration under section 68 is in force the property attached consists of land or of a share in land, and the Collector represents to the Court that the public sale of the land or share is objectionable and that satisfaction of the decree may be made within a reasonable period by a temporary alienation of the land or share, the Court may authorise the Collector to provide for such satisfaction in the manner recommended by him instead of proceeding to a sale of the land or share.

(2) In every such case the provisions of sections 69 to 71 and of any rules made in pursuance thereof shall apply so far as they are applicable.

73.(1) Where assets are held by a Court and more persons than one have, before the receipt of such assets, made application to the Court for the execution of decrees for the payment of money passed against the same judgment-debtor and have not obtained satisfaction thereof, the assets, after deducting the costs of realization, shall be rateably distributed among all such persons:

Provided as follows:-

(a) where any property is sold subject to a mortgage or charge, the mortgagee or incumbrancer shall not be entitled to share in any surplus arising from such sale;

(b) where any property liable to be sold in execution of a decree is subject to a mortgage or charge, the Court may, with the consent of the mortgagee or incumbrancer, order that the property be sold free from the mortgage or charge, giving to the mortgagee or incumbrancer the same interest in the proceeds of the sale as he had in the property sold;

(c) where any immovable property is sold in execution of a decree ordering its sale for the discharge of an incumbrance thereon, the proceeds of sale shall be applied-

firstly, in defraying the expenses of the sale;

secondly, in discharging the amount due under the decree;

thirdly, in discharging the interest and principal monies due on subsequent incumbrances (if any); and

fourthly, rateably among the holders of decrees for the payment of money against the judgment-debtor, who have, prior to the sale of the property, applied to the Court which passed the decree ordering such sale for execution of such decrees, and have not obtained satisfaction thereof.

(2) Where all or any of the assets liable to be rateably distributed under this section are paid to a person not entitled to receive the same, any person so entitled may sue such person to compel him to refund the assets.

(3) Nothing in this section affects any right of the Government.

74. Where the Court is satisfied that the holder of a decree for the possession of immovable property or that the purchaser of immovable property sold in execution of a decree has been resisted or obstructed in obtaining possession of the property by the judgment-debtor or some person on his behalf and that such resistance or obstruction was without any just cause, the Court may, at the instance of the decree-holder or purchaser, order the judgment-debtor or such other person to be detained in the civil prison for a term which may extend to thirty days and may further direct that the decree-holder or purchaser be put into possession of the property.

75. Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the Court may issue a commission-

(a) to examine any person;

(b) to make a local investigation;

(c) to examine or adjust accounts; or

(d) to make a partition.

76. [Omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).]

77. In lieu of issuing a commission the Court may issue a letter of request to examine a witness residing at any place not within Bangladesh.

78. Subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed, the provisions as to the execution and return of commissions for the examination of witnesses shall apply to commissions issued by or at the instance of-

(a) Courts situate beyond the limits of Bangladesh and established or continued by the authority of Government, or

⁴²[ * * *]

(c) Courts of any State or country outside Bangladesh. ⁴³[

79. In a suit by or against the Government the authority to 79. In a suit by or against the Government the authority to be named as plaintiff or defendant, as the case may be, ⁴⁴[ shall be Bangladesh]-

⁴⁵[ * * *]

80.(1) A suit may be instituted against the Government or against a public officer, in respect of any act purporting to be done by such public officer in his official capacity, after the expiration of two months next after notice in writing has been delivered to or left at the office of,-

⁴⁶[ * * *]

(b)(i) in the case of a suit against the Government other than a suit relating to the affairs of ⁴⁷[ the Railway], a Secretary to ⁴⁸[ the Government] or the Collector of the District; and

(ii) in the case of a suit against the Government relating to the affairs of ⁴⁹[ the Railway], the General Manager of the Railway ⁵⁰[ * * *],

and in the case of a public officer, delivered to him or left at his office stating the cause of action, the name, description of place of residence of the plaintiff and the relief which he claims; and the plaint shall contain a statement that such notice has been so delivered or left.

(2) Where any such suit is instituted without delivering or leaving such notice as aforesaid or before the expiration of the said period of two months or where the plaint does not contain a statement that such notice has been so delivered or left, the plaintiff shall not be entitled to any costs if settlement as regards the subject-matter of the suit is reached or the Government or the public officer concedes the plaintiff’s claim, within the period of two months from the date of the institution of the suit:

Provided that in a suit instituted without such notice, the Court shall allow not less than three months to the Government to submit its written statement.

81. In a suit instituted against a public officer in respect of any act purporting to be done by him in his official capacity-

(a) the defendant shall not be liable to arrest nor his property to attachment otherwise than in execution of a decree, and,

(b) where the Court is satisfied that the defendant cannot absent himself from his duty without detriment to the public service, it shall exempt him from appearing in person.

82.(1) Where the decree is against the Government or against a public officer in respect of any such act as aforesaid, a time shall be specified in the decree within which it shall be satisfied; and, if the decree is not satisfied within the time so specified, the Court shall report the case for the orders of the Government.

(2) Execution shall not be issued on any such decree unless it remains unsatisfied for the period of three months computed from the date of such report.

83.(1) Alien enemies residing in Bangladesh with the permission of the Government, and alien friends, may sue in the Courts in ⁵¹[ Bangladesh], as if they were citizens of ⁵²[ Bangladesh].

(2) No alien enemy residing in Bangladesh without such permission, or residing in a foreign country, shall sue in any of such Courts.

Explanation.-Every person residing in a foreign country the Government of which is at war with, or engaged in military operations against, Bangladesh, and carrying on business in that country without a license in that behalf under the hand of a Secretary to the Government shall, for the purpose of sub-section (2), be deemed to be an alien enemy residing in a foreign country.

84.(1) A foreign State may sue in any Court in ⁵³[ Bangladesh]:

Provided that such State has been recognized by the Government:

Provided, also, that the object of the suit is to enforce a private right vested in the head of such State or in any officer of such State in his public capacity.

(2) Every Court shall take judicial notice of the fact that a foreign State has or has not been recognized by the Government.

85.(1) Persons specially appointed by order of the Government at the request of the Ruler of any foreign State, or at the request of any person competent, in the opinion of the Government, to act on behalf of such Ruler, to prosecute or defend any suit on his behalf, shall be deemed to be the recognized agents by whom appearances, acts and applications under this Code may be made or done on behalf of such Ruler.

(2) An appointment under this section may be made for the purpose of a specified suit or of several specified suits, or for the purpose of all such suits as it may from time to time be necessary to prosecute or defend on behalf of the Ruler.