Enrolment Procedure for Lawyers in Bangladesh

A person must be enrolled in any recognized Bar Association to appear, act and plead before any Court, Tribunal or revenue authority of Bangladesh. As Rule- 06(1) states that “No person shall practice as an Advocate unless he is a member of a Bar Association of the place at which he ordinarily practices”.

When a person’s name is entered in the roll of the Bar Council s/he will be known as an Advocate (Article 2(a) of the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972). However, such enrolment is not to be confused with the membership of the Bar Council. Membership is mainly an elected position. The Bar Council consists of fifteen members and Advocates on the roll elect 7 Members of the Bar Council for a term of three years. Who will be the rest 8 members are stated in Article 5 of the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972.

The enrolment procedure can be described in stages: 

1. Academic Stage

2. Pupillage Stage

3. M.C.Q Examination

4. Written Examination, and

5. Viva-voce Examination 

1. Academic Stage

To qualify for enrolment procedure, generally, one has to… (Article 27(1))

• be a citizen of Bangladesh

• at the age of 22 years

• obtain a law degree from any recognized University situated  

  • in Bangladesh, or

  • in abroad, or

  • the person is a barrister 

2. Pupillage Stage

The person qualified in the academic stage may attend in the enrolment examination held under the direction and supervision of the Enrollment Committee of the Bangladesh Bar Council. However, before appearing at the enrolment examination every person shall have to undergo pupillage for a period of 6(six) months under a practicing Advocate of at least 10 years standing in the profession.

For the 6 months pupillage,

a. A properly filled up Registration Form (See below) prescribed by the Bar Council along with the contract of pupilage should reach to the Secretary of the Bar Council within 30 days of its execution along with an affidavit sworn in by the pupil affirming execution of such contract.

b. S/he shall also enclose therewith a payment receipt of Tk. 800/= as Registration fee deposited through a bank payslip provided by the Bar Council office. Candidates shall have to collect a prescribed Registration form from the Bar Council office by depositing Tk. 400/= through a bank payslip provided by the Bar Council office.

Registration of the candidates for enrolment as Advocates shall remain valid for 5 (five) years. If the candidate fails to pass the written examination within 5 (five) years of the date of registration his/ her registration shall stand canceled.

3. M.C.Q Examination

Upon completion of the pupillage 

• a candidate shall have to apply in prescribed Form ‘A’ for appearing in the M.C.Q. examination for enrolment as Advocate along with the requisites depicted therein including an affidavit in support of his application.

• The prescribed Form ‘A’, Affidavit and Form ‘G’ are enclosed in the prospectus. Candidate shall have to collect a set of Form `A` & Form `G` from the Bar Council office by depositing Tk. 350/= through a bank pay slip provided by the Bar Council office.

• The M.C.Q. examination shall be of 100 marks of 100 question and the duration shall be 1 (one) hour.

• A candidate must obtain at least 50 marks  to appear in the written examination

4. Written Examination

The written examination shall be of one paper of 100 marks and the duration of the examination shall be of 4 hours. To qualify in the written examination a candidate shall have to obtain at least 50 marks to qualify in the written examination. Candidates who failed to pass the written examination shall have to qualify next M.C.Q. examination to appear in the written examination again. 

5. Viva-voce Examination

Pass marks of viva-voce examination are 25 out of 50. Qualified candidates of the written examination shall have to pass the viva voce examination in three attempts within a period of three years from the date of his/her written examination result.

Candidates shall have to collect prescribed forms from the Bar Council office by depositing requisite fee (i.e. Registration form fee for Enrolment Tk. 400/=, Examination form fee for Enrolment Tk. 350/=, re-appear form fee for Enrolment & Viva-voce examination Tk. 100/= etc) through a bank payslip provided by the Bar Council office.

After passing the Viva exam, one is entered in the roll of Advocates prepared and maintained by the respected Bar Associations, and to be called as Advocate.

However, Advocates of the Local Bar Associations need to attend another exam (after two or one year(s) of enrolment) to get permission for the Supreme Court. 

 Forms/Links:

1. Pupillage Registration Form for Enrolment as Advocate

2. Application Form for Enrolment as Advocate

3. Syllabus for the Examinations