Criminal Offences and Penalties in Bangladesh (2026): Types, Charges and a Complete Penalty Table

Criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh law sets in 2026

The criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh law prescribes are spread across one Victorian code and a growing shelf of special statutes. The Penal Code 1860 still defines murder, hurt, theft, cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery, defamation and intimidation, and fixes a maximum sentence for each. The Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 then decides whether the police can arrest without a warrant, whether bail is a right, whether the victim can settle the case and which court tries it. Since 2025, rape, drug, cyber, terrorism and cheque offences have been reshaped again by ordinances that Parliament turned into Acts in 2026.

This guide is a reference tool rather than a procedural manual. It explains the types of criminal offences, how a charge is classified, what each common Penal Code offence carries, and how the main special laws compare, with a single penalty table that sets the maximum sentence beside the arrest, bail and compounding status of each offence. Detailed guidance on theft, narcotics bail, cyber offences, money laundering and cheque cases sits in companion TRW guides, linked where they apply.

Summary: Most offences in Bangladesh are defined in the Penal Code 1860, which sets the maximum punishment, while Schedule II to the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 states whether each offence is cognizable, bailable and compoundable and which court tries it. Special statutes, including the Nari-o-Shishu, narcotics, cyber, anti-terrorism, money laundering and cheque laws, carry their own penalties and bail rules, and several were rewritten in 2025 and enacted by Parliament in 2026.

Key point: The section number on the FIR or charge sheet decides almost everything that follows: whether the police can arrest without a warrant, whether bail is a right or a discretion, whether a settlement with the victim ends the case, and which court hears it. Check every section cited, and check whether a special law, rather than the Penal Code, governs the same facts.

At a glance

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Table of Contents

Types of criminal offences in Bangladesh

Every offence can be described in two ways: by where it is defined, which fixes the elements and the maximum sentence, and by how the procedural law treats it, which decides what happens to the accused before the verdict.

Penal Code offences and special-law offences

The Penal Code 1860 groups offences into chapters: offences against the State and public tranquillity, offences by or relating to public servants, false evidence, offences affecting the human body, offences against property, offences relating to documents, defamation, and criminal intimidation, insult and annoyance.[1] Special statutes then create offences for defined subject areas, usually with heavier penalties, a dedicated tribunal and a stricter bail rule. Where a special law covers the same conduct, it generally prevails for that offence. Our hub guide to criminal law in Bangladesh explains how the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Evidence Act fit together.

Cognizable and non-cognizable offences

Column three of Schedule II to the Code of Criminal Procedure states whether the police may arrest without a warrant.[2] An offence for which they may is cognizable: the police record a first information report and investigate without waiting for a magistrate. For a non-cognizable offence, such as simple hurt, cheating under section 417, forgery, defamation or criminal intimidation, the police need a magistrate's order to investigate, and the complainant usually starts with a petition in court. Our guide to GD versus FIR in Bangladesh covers the practical difference.

Bailable and non-bailable offences

Column five states whether an offence is bailable.[2] For a bailable offence, release on bail is a right and the only argument is about the bond. For a non-bailable offence, bail is discretionary and is restricted where there are reasonable grounds to believe the accused committed an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life. Non-bailable does not mean bail is impossible; it means the accused must persuade the court. See our guides to bail law and criminal defence and anticipatory bail in Bangladesh.

Compoundable and non-compoundable offences

Section 345 of the Code lists the Penal Code offences that the victim may compound, meaning settle so that the accused is acquitted.[3] Sub-section (1) lists offences the victim can compound without the court's permission, including simple hurt, wrongful restraint and confinement, criminal trespass, house-trespass, defamation, insult provoking a breach of the peace and the basic form of criminal intimidation. Sub-section (2) lists offences that need the court's permission, including hurt by dangerous weapons, grievous hurt, assault on a woman's modesty, theft, criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property, cheating and cheating by dishonest inducement.[3] Any offence not on either list cannot be compounded at all.

Summons cases, warrant cases and the trial court

Column four of Schedule II states whether a summons or a warrant ordinarily issues first, and column eight names the court that may try the offence, from any judicial magistrate for minor offences up to the Court of Session for murder, dacoity and the gravest forgeries.[2]

The punishments criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh law allows

Section 53 of the Penal Code lists the punishments available under the Code: death, imprisonment for life, imprisonment (rigorous, with hard labour, or simple), forfeiture of property and fine. Imprisonment for life is rigorous.[1] Each offence states which of these apply, and almost every section sets a maximum rather than a fixed term, leaving the court to choose a sentence within the range. Phrases matter: "shall also be liable to fine" means a fine may be added to imprisonment, while "or with fine, or with both" allows a fine instead of jail.

What a life sentence means

Section 57 of the Penal Code reckons imprisonment for life as equivalent to rigorous imprisonment for thirty years when calculating fractions of a sentence.[1] On 1 December 2020, in Criminal Review Petition No. 82 of 2017 (Ataur Mridha v State), a seven-member Appellate Division bench held by majority that imprisonment for life is to be treated as 30 years, but that the 30-year rule does not apply where a court expressly orders imprisonment until natural death.[14] Remission rules then affect how long a prisoner actually serves.

Fines

Where a section sets no ceiling, section 63 makes the fine unlimited but not excessive.[1] Some older sections still carry tiny figures, such as Tk 500 for wrongful restraint or criminal trespass and Tk 1,000 for simple hurt or house-trespass, because the amounts were never updated.[1] The 2025 procedural reforms raised the fines magistrates may impose under section 32 of the Code to Tk 5 lakh, Tk 3 lakh and Tk 2 lakh for first-, second- and third-class magistrates.[5] Special laws, by contrast, set fines in lakhs or crores of taka.

Attempt, abetment and conspiracy

Liability does not stop with the person who commits the act. Abetment of an offence that is committed is generally punished as the offence itself, and a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit a serious offence is punished as if he had abetted it.[1] Section 511 punishes attempts to commit offences punishable with imprisonment where no specific provision exists. Schedule II applies the classification of the main offence to its abetment.[2]

Offences affecting the human body

Chapter XVI of the Penal Code covers offences against life, hurt, restraint, assault, kidnapping and sexual offences, where the line between bailable and non-bailable often falls between adjacent sections.

Murder and culpable homicide

Murder under section 302 is punished with death or imprisonment for life, and fine.[1] It is cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable, and triable only by the Court of Session.[2] Culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 carries imprisonment for life or up to ten years and fine where the act was done with intention to cause death or likely fatal injury, and up to ten years or fine or both where it was done only with knowledge that death was likely.[1] Attempt to murder under section 307 carries up to ten years and fine, rising to imprisonment for life if hurt is caused.[1]

Death by negligence and road deaths

Causing death by a rash or negligent act under section 304A carries up to five years, or fine, or both, and causing death by rash or negligent driving on a public way under section 304B up to three years, or fine, or both.[1] Both are cognizable and bailable but not compoundable, so a settlement with the family does not by itself end the prosecution.[2]

Hurt and grievous hurt

The Code grades hurt by severity and means. Simple hurt under section 323 carries up to one year or a fine of up to Tk 1,000 or both, is non-cognizable and bailable, and can be compounded by the injured person.[1] [2] Hurt by dangerous weapons under section 324 carries up to three years. Grievous hurt under section 325 carries up to seven years and fine, and grievous hurt by dangerous weapons under section 326 up to imprisonment for life or ten years and fine; both are cognizable and non-bailable.[1] [2]

Section 326A, covering grievous hurt to both eyes, or disfigurement of the head or face, by a corrosive substance, carries death or imprisonment for life and fine, and is triable by the Court of Session.[1] [2]

Kidnapping, restraint and sexual offences

Kidnapping under section 363 carries up to seven years and fine, as does kidnapping or abduction with intent to confine secretly under section 365.[1] Assault or criminal force to outrage a woman's modesty under section 354 carries up to two years, or fine, or both, and words or gestures intended to insult a woman's modesty under section 509 carry up to one year of simple imprisonment, or fine, or both.[1] Rape under section 376 of the Penal Code carries imprisonment for life or up to ten years and fine, but in practice rape of a woman or child is prosecuted under the Nari-o-Shishu Act, which carries death or life imprisonment and is discussed below.[1] [7]

Offences against property

Property offences generate more criminal cases than any other chapter, and many arise from commercial and employment relationships. Our detailed guide to theft and robbery laws in Bangladesh covers the elements of theft, robbery and dacoity, recovery of property and the employer's position; this section focuses on the penalty spread.

Theft, extortion, robbery and dacoity

Simple theft under section 379 carries up to three years, or fine, or both. Theft in a dwelling under section 380 and theft by a clerk or servant under section 381 each carry up to seven years and fine.[1] All three are cognizable and non-bailable, but compoundable with the court's permission.[2] [3] Extortion under section 384 carries up to three years, or fine, or both; check its arrest and bail classification in Schedule II of the Code of Criminal Procedure before acting. Robbery under section 392 carries rigorous imprisonment of up to ten years and fine, or fourteen years if committed on a highway between sunset and sunrise, and dacoity under section 395 carries imprisonment for life or rigorous imprisonment of up to ten years and fine.[1] Neither robbery nor dacoity can be compounded.[2]

Criminal breach of trust

Criminal breach of trust under section 406 carries up to three years, or fine, or both. By a clerk or servant under section 408 it carries up to seven years and fine, and by a public servant, banker, merchant, factor, broker, attorney or agent under section 409 it carries imprisonment for life or up to ten years and fine.[1] Sections 406 and 408 are cognizable and non-bailable but compoundable with the court's permission; section 409 is non-compoundable and triable by the Court of Session.[2]

Cheating

Cheating under section 417 carries up to one year, or fine, or both. Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property under section 420 carries up to seven years and fine.[1] Both are non-cognizable and bailable, and both are compoundable with the court's permission, which is why section 420 complaints in commercial disputes so often end in settlement.[2] [3] Where a contractual dispute has been dressed up as cheating, the High Court Division's power to quash under section 561A is the usual remedy; see our section 561A criminal quashment practice.

Receiving stolen property, mischief and trespass

Dishonestly receiving stolen property under section 411 carries up to three years, or fine, or both, and is compoundable with permission. Mischief causing loss of Tk 50 or more under section 427 carries up to two years, or fine, or both. Criminal trespass under section 447 carries up to three months or a fine of up to Tk 500, and house-trespass under section 448 up to one year or a fine of up to Tk 1,000.[1] Trespass and private-loss mischief can be compounded without permission.[3]

Forgery, defamation and criminal intimidation

Forgery and use of forged documents

Forgery under section 465 carries up to two years, or fine, or both. Forgery for the purpose of cheating under section 468 carries up to seven years and fine, and forgery of a valuable security, will or authority to transfer or receive money or property under section 467 carries imprisonment for life or up to ten years and fine.[1] Using a forged document as genuine under section 471 is punished as if the user had forged it.[1] None of these forgery offences is compoundable, and sections 467 and 468 are non-bailable.[2] Adding sections 467, 468 and 471 to a cheating complaint changes the bail position entirely.

Defamation

Defamation under section 500 carries simple imprisonment of up to two years, or fine, or both. It is non-cognizable, bailable and compoundable by the person defamed.[1] [2] [3] Online defamation is now also a Penal Code matter: the Cyber Security Act 2026 contains no separate defamation offence among its listed crimes.[9]

Criminal intimidation and insult

Criminal intimidation under section 506 carries up to two years, or fine, or both, rising to seven years where the threat is to cause death or grievous hurt.[1] [2] The basic form is compoundable without permission; the aggravated form is not.[3] Insult intended to provoke a breach of the peace under section 504 carries up to two years and is compoundable.[2]

Penalty table: criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh Penal Code at a glance

The table brings the Penal Code material together. The punishment column states the statutory maximum from the Penal Code; the classification columns follow Schedule II and section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedure as published on the official Laws of Bangladesh portal in 2026.[1] [2] [3] "Cognizable" means the police may arrest without a warrant. On a phone, scroll the table sideways.

The table states maximums, not likely sentences. Classification attaches to the section charged, so one incident can be bailable under one section and non-bailable under another, and where a special law applies, its penalty and bail rule displace the Penal Code entry.

Special laws: criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh enacted outside the Penal Code

A large share of serious prosecutions now runs under special statutes, many of which were rewritten by the interim government in 2025 and then enacted by the elected Parliament in 2026. The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division lists, among the Acts of 2026, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act (No. 11), the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act (No. 28), the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Act (No. 55), the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act (No. 65), the Cyber Security Act (No. 81) and the Women and Children Repression Prevention (Amendment) Act (No. 85), each dated 10 April 2026.[6] These special laws are where the heaviest criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh prosecutors seek are now found.

Nari-o-Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain 2000, as amended in 2026

The Women and Children Repression Prevention Act 2000 punishes rape of a woman or child with death or rigorous imprisonment for life and fine, and rape causing death, or gang rape causing death or injury, with death or rigorous life imprisonment and a fine of at least Tk 2 lakh.[7] Abduction carries life imprisonment or at least fourteen years, sexual oppression under section 10 three to ten years, and causing death for dowry, death or rigorous life imprisonment.[7]

Act No. 85 of 2026, which took effect from 25 March 2025, the date of the interim government's ordinance, made several changes. It inserted section 9B, which punishes sexual intercourse with a woman over sixteen on a promise of marriage, without force and within a relationship of trust, with up to seven years' rigorous imprisonment and fine.[7] It created child violence suppression tribunals for child rape cases under section 26A. It also moved simple hurt for dowry under section 11(c), which carries two to five years, to first-class magistrates and made it cognizable, compoundable and non-bailable, with the Code of Criminal Procedure governing its procedure.[7]

All offences under the Act are cognizable, and a principal accused may not be bailed without the complainant being heard, or where the tribunal is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe the charge is true; women, children and sick or infirm accused may be bailed where justice will not be prejudiced.[7] Investigation must ordinarily finish within fifteen working days where the accused was caught in the act and thirty working days otherwise, and a rape trial within ninety working days of the charge being framed.[7]

Narcotics Control Act 2018, as amended in 2026

Drug penalties depend on the class of drug and the weight seized. For the amphetamine-type substance prosecuted as yaba, carrying more than 200 grams, or possessing more than 400 grams, carries death or life imprisonment; for heroin and similar opioids the threshold is 25 grams.[8] Section 36A, inserted in 2026, punishes buying, selling or brokering drugs through cyberspace or digital devices with imprisonment of any term up to death and a fine of up to Tk 20 lakh. Every narcotics offence is cognizable under section 46.[8] Quantity bands, the section 47 bail test and the new tribunal are covered in our guide to bail in narcotics cases in Bangladesh.

Cyber Security Act 2026

The current cyber statute is the Cyber Security (Cyber Suraksha) Act 2026, Act No. 81 of 2026, which replaced the 2025 ordinance and repealed the Cyber Security Act 2023.[6] [9] Its penalties include up to five years or a Tk 50 lakh fine for hacking under section 18(1)(c) and for cyber fraud under section 22, up to ten years or a Tk 1 crore fine for cyber terrorism under section 23, and up to two years or Tk 10 lakh for online blackmail, sexual harassment or revenge pornography under section 25, rising to five years or Tk 20 lakh where the victim is a woman or a child under eighteen.[9]

Under section 46, hacking, cyber fraud and cyber terrorism are cognizable and non-bailable; cyber forgery and the section 25 offences are cognizable but bailable; and the religious or ethnic hate offence under section 26 is non-cognizable and bailable. Hacking, cyber forgery, cyber fraud and the section 25 offences are compoundable with the court's consent.[9] Offences under the Act are tried only by the tribunal it designates.[9] Our guide to cyber law in Bangladesh covers the full offence list and pending amendments.

Anti-Terrorism Act 2009

Under section 6 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009, a terrorist act involving killing, grievous hurt, confinement or abduction carries death or imprisonment for life, with fine. Terrorist financing under section 7 carries rigorous imprisonment of four to twenty years and fine, and membership of a banned entity under section 8 up to six months, or fine, or both. Section 39 makes every offence under the Act cognizable and non-bailable.[11] Parliament passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill on 8 April 2026, keeping the interim government's ordinance, which lets the government prohibit all activities of an entity involved in terrorism, including press releases, online propaganda, rallies and press conferences.[12]

Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012

Money laundering, or an attempt, abetment or conspiracy to commit it, carries four to twelve years' imprisonment and a fine of twice the value of the property involved or Tk 10 lakh, whichever is greater.[10] Section 11 makes offences under the Act cognizable, non-compoundable and non-bailable, and section 13 allows bail only after the complainant is heard and subject to the court's satisfaction on the strength of the charge.[10] Compliance duties, freezing and BFIU reporting are covered in our guide to anti-money laundering law in Bangladesh, and corruption offences in our guide to corruption laws in Bangladesh.

Cheque dishonour under the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881

Dishonour of a cheque under section 138 carries imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of up to three times the cheque amount, or both.[13] Since the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act 2026, a case on a cheque above Tk 5 lakh is tried by a Joint Sessions Judge or Metropolitan Joint Sessions Judge, and every other case by a Metropolitan Magistrate or first-class magistrate.[13] An appeal requires a prior deposit of at least half the cheque amount under section 138A. See our guides to cheque dishonour in Bangladesh and cheque case appeals.

Special laws compared

Sources: the statutes cited above.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [13]

Courts and tribunals that try criminal cases

Which forum hears a case under the criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh statutes create depends on the statute and the gravity of the offence: the Penal Code allocates trial through Schedule II, while each special law names its own tribunal. The main courts and tribunals are these.

Before any bail application, confirm whether a special tribunal has been notified for the district, because pending cases may have moved to it.

Understanding criminal charges: from FIR to charge framing

An allegation becomes a charge in stages, and the sections cited can change at each one. The first information report or complaint petition names the sections the informant or police think apply. The investigating officer then files a police report, either a charge sheet listing sections or a final report recommending no prosecution. The court frames charge only after considering the record and hearing the defence, and may frame it under different sections from those in the charge sheet. Our guide to how to file a criminal case in Bangladesh explains each entry point.

Read the sections, not the headline

Complainants often over-charge. A dispute over unpaid invoices can arrive as sections 406, 420, 467, 468 and 471 together, turning a bailable, compoundable cheating case into one involving non-bailable forgery offences. The defence response is to test each section against the facts alleged: was there entrustment, was there deception at the outset, was any document actually forged? Discharge before charge framing, or quashment where no offence is disclosed, are the tools for stripping away sections that do not fit, including a special law section invoked without its statutory elements.

Same facts, more than one law

A single incident can engage both the Penal Code and a special law. Rape of a woman is charged under the Nari-o-Shishu Act rather than section 376; an online fraud may be charged under section 22 of the Cyber Security Act 2026 rather than section 420; a bank officer's misappropriation may attract section 409 alongside money laundering. Where a special law applies, its tribunal and bail rule generally govern the whole case, so the choice of statute shapes the defence from the outset. Understanding how criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh statutes overlap is often the key to the first bail hearing.

How sentences are decided in practice

Bangladesh has no binding sentencing guidelines for most Penal Code offences. Within the ranges that criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh law sets, courts weigh the gravity of the act, the harm caused, the offender's role, age and previous record, any compensation paid and the time already spent in custody. A special law often narrows that discretion by fixing minimum terms, such as the four-year floor for money laundering and terrorist financing, or by limiting the choice to death or life imprisonment.[10] [11]

Death sentences

Death remains available for murder, acid attacks on the eyes or face, rape under the Nari-o-Shishu Act, terrorist killings, the most serious drug offences and, since 2026, online drug dealing.[1] [7] [8] [11] Nothing in the Penal Code's commutation provisions limits the President's power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions.[1]

A conviction can be challenged by appeal and interlocutory orders by revision; see our guides to criminal appeals and criminal revision in Bangladesh.

What to do if you are accused or are a victim

The same discipline applies whether you are named as an accused or are deciding how to report an offence. The steps below reflect how we work through the criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh law attaches to a new case.

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Two rules apply throughout. Never give a statement to police or sign a document without advice, and use the 2026 arrest and remand safeguards at first production (see our guide to police remand in Bangladesh), and never assume a compromise with the other side ends a case: only an offence listed in section 345, or a special law that expressly permits it, can be compounded.[3]

2025–2026 changes and what to watch

Almost all of the 2025–2026 change to criminal offences and penalties Bangladesh practitioners deal with came through special statutes and procedure, not the Penal Code itself.

In short: Act No. 85 of 2026 reshaped the Nari-o-Shishu regime; the Cyber Security Act 2026 replaced the 2023 Act; online drug dealing now carries a possible death sentence; the government can prohibit all activities of a terrorist entity; smaller cheque cases moved to magistrates; and arrest, remand and fine powers were rewritten in the Code.[4] [7] [8] [9] [12] [13]

Because amendments now arrive quickly and some take effect retrospectively, check the current text of every section before advising or filing. If you are facing a charge or need to decide how to report an offence, contact TRW.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main types of criminal offences in Bangladesh?

Offences are defined either in the Penal Code 1860, which covers offences against the body, property, documents, reputation and public order, or in special statutes on women and children, narcotics, cyber crime, terrorism, money laundering and cheques. Each is then classified as cognizable or not, bailable or not, and compoundable or not.[1] [2]

What is the punishment for murder in Bangladesh?

Death or imprisonment for life, and fine, under section 302 of the Penal Code. Murder is cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable, and is tried by the Court of Session.[1] [2]

How long is a life sentence in Bangladesh?

For calculation purposes, 30 years. The Appellate Division held in December 2020 that life imprisonment is treated as 30 years unless the court expressly orders imprisonment until natural death.[14]

What is the punishment for theft in Bangladesh?

Up to three years, or fine, or both, under section 379; up to seven years and fine for theft in a dwelling or by a clerk or servant. Theft is cognizable and non-bailable but can be compounded with the court's permission.[1] [2]

Is cheating under section 420 bailable?

Yes. Section 420 carries up to seven years and fine, but it is non-cognizable, bailable and compoundable with the court's permission. Adding forgery sections such as 467 or 468 changes the bail position.[1] [2]

Which offences can be settled with the victim?

Only those listed in section 345 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, such as simple hurt, trespass, defamation and basic criminal intimidation without permission, and grievous hurt, theft, breach of trust and cheating with the court's permission. Murder, robbery, dacoity and forgery cannot be compounded.[3]

Is defamation still a crime in Bangladesh?

Yes, under sections 499 and 500 of the Penal Code, with simple imprisonment of up to two years, or fine, or both. The Cyber Security Act 2026 has no separate defamation offence among its listed crimes.[1] [9]

What is the punishment for rape under the Nari-o-Shishu Act?

Death or rigorous imprisonment for life, and fine. Where rape causes death, the fine must be at least Tk 2 lakh. Rape trials must ordinarily finish within ninety working days of charge framing.[7]

What is the penalty for money laundering in Bangladesh?

Four to twelve years' imprisonment and a fine of twice the value of the property involved or Tk 10 lakh, whichever is greater. The offence is cognizable, non-compoundable and non-bailable.[10]

What is the punishment for cheque dishonour?

Up to one year's imprisonment, or a fine of up to three times the cheque amount, or both, under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881. An appeal requires a deposit of at least half the cheque amount.[13]