The Air Force Act, 1953

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the government and discipline of the Bangladesh Air Force.¹ ♦ WHEREAS it is expedient to consolidate and amend the law relating to the government and discipline of the Bangladesh Air Force; It is hereby enacted as follows:-

Section 1. Short title and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the ²* * * Air Force Act, 1953.

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification, appoint in this behalf.

Section 2. Persons subject to this Act

The following persons shall be subject to this Act wherever they may be, namely:-

⁶(dd) persons not otherwise subject to Air Force law who are accused of-

Section 3. Termination of application of the Act

Every person subject to this Act under clauses (a) to (c) of section 2 shall remain so subject until duly retired, discharged, released, removed or dismissed from the service and every person subject to this Act under clause (e) of section 2 shall remain so subject during the period of his secondment to the Air Force.

Secondment to Army or Navy

⁹3A. The Government may by order in writing direct that any person referred to in clause (a), clause (b), clause (c) or clause (d) of section 2 shall, under such conditions as may be specified by regulations, be seconded for service with the Bangladesh Army or the Bangladesh Navy.

Section 4. Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(xiii) “Chief of Air Staff” means the Officer Chief of Air Staff the Air Force;

(xvii) “enemy” includes all armed mutineers, armed rebels, armed rioters, pirates and any person in arms against whom it is the duty of any person subject to naval, military or Air Force law to act;

(xviii) “the Forces” means the regular Army, Navy and Air Force or any part or parts of any one or more of them;

¹²* * *

¹³(xxa) “master warrant officer” means a person commissioned, gazetted or in pay as a master warrant officer of the Air Force and includes an acting master warrant officer, and a master warrant officer of the Bangladesh Air Force Volunteer Reserve who is for the time being subject to this Act;

(xxii) “notification” means a notification published in the official Gazette;

(xxiii) “offence” means any act or omission punishable under this Act, and includes a civil offence, as hereinbefore defined;

(xxiv) “officer” means a person commissioned, gazetted or in the pay as an officer in the Air Force and includes-

but does not include a junior commissioned officer, ¹⁴master warrant officer, warrant officer, petty officer or non-commissioned officer;

(xxvi) “provost-marshal” means a person appointed as such under this Act and includes any of his deputies or assistants or any other person legally exercising authority under him or on his behalf;

(xxvii) “regulation” includes a regulation made under this Act;

(xxviii) “service” when qualifying institution, necessaries, books, band, mess, money, goods and other property, means belonging to or connected with the air service or any unit or part of a unit thereof;

(xxix) “superior officer” when used in relation to a person subject to this Act, includes a warrant officer and a non-commissioned officer, and as regards persons serving under such conditions as may be prescribed, an officer, junior commissioned officer, ¹⁵master warrant officer, warrant officer, petty officer and non-commissioned officer of the regular Army or the Navy;

(xxxi) “warrant officer” means a person commissioned, gazetted or in pay as a warrant officer of the Air Force and includes an acting warrant officer, and a warrant officer of the Bangladesh Air Force Volunteer Reserve who is for the time being subject to this Act;

(xxxii) all words and expressions used herein and defined in the ¹⁷Penal Code and not hereinbefore defined, shall be deemed to have the meanings respectively assigned to them by that Code.

Section 5. Application of Act to certain forces under the Government

(1) The Government may, by notification, apply, with or without modifications, all or any of the provisions of this Act to any force raised and maintained in Bangladesh and suspend the operation of any other enactment for the time being applicable to the said force.

(2) The provisions of this Act so applied shall have effect in respect of persons belonging to the said force as they have effect in respect of persons subject to this Act holding in the Air Force the same or equivalent rank as the aforesaid persons hold for the time being in the said force.

(3) The provisions of this Act so applied shall also have effect in respect of persons who are employed by, or are in the service of, or are followers of, or accompany any portion of the said force as they have effect in respect of persons subject to this Act under clause (d) of section 2.

(4) While any of the provisions of this Act apply to the said force, the Government may, by notification, direct by what authority any jurisdiction, powers or duties incident to the operation of these provisions shall be exercised or performed in respect of the said force.

Section 6. Special provision as to rank in certain cases

(1) The Government may, by notification, direct that any persons or class of persons subject to this Act under clause (d) of section 2, shall be so subject as officers, ¹⁸master warrant officer, warrant officers or non-commissioned officers, and may authorise any officer to give a like direction or to cancel such direction.

(2) All persons subject to this Act other than officers, warrant officers and non-commissioned officers, shall, if they are not persons in respect of whom a notification or direction under sub-section (1) is in force, be deemed to be of a rank ¹⁹lower to that of a non-commissioned officer.

Section 7. Commanding officers of persons subject to Air Force law under clause (d) of section 2

(1) Every person subject to this Act, under clause (d) of section 2 shall for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be under the commanding officer of the unit, or detachment, if any, to which he is attached, or if he is not so attached, under the command of any officer who may for the time being be named as his commanding officer by the officer commanding the force with which such person may for the time being be serving, or of any other prescribed officer, or if no such officer is named or prescribed, under the command of the said officer commanding the force.

(2) An officer commanding a force shall not place a person subject to this Act under clause (d) of section 2 under the command of an officer of official rank ²⁰lower to that of such person if there is present at the place where such person is any officer of higher rank under whose command he can be placed.

Section 8. Officers exercising powers in certain cases

(1) Whenever persons subject to this Act are serving whether within or without Bangladesh under an officer not subject to this Act, the Government may prescribe the officer by whom the powers which, under this Act, may be exercised by officers commanding units, shall, as regards such persons, be exercised.

(2) The Government may confer such powers either absolutely or subject to such restrictions, reservations, exceptions and conditions as it may think fit.

Section 9. Exercise of powers vested in holder of Air Force office

Any power or jurisdiction given to, and any act or thing to be done by, to, or before any person holding any Air Force appointment may be exercised by, or done by, to, or before any other person for the time being authorised in that behalf according to the custom of the service, or according to rules made under this Act.

Section 10. Power to declare persons to be on active service

Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (i) of section 4, the Government may, by notification, declare that any persons or class of persons subject to this Act, shall, with reference to any area in which they may be serving or with reference to any provision of this Act or of any other law for the time being in force, be deemed to be on active service within the meaning of this Act.

Section 11. Commission and appointment

The President may grant to such person as he thinks fit a commission as an officer or a junior commission as a ²¹master warrant officer or a warrant officer of the Air Force.

Ineligibility of aliens for enrolment

²²12. No person who is not a citizen of Bangladesh shall, except with the consent of the Government signified in writing, be granted a Commission or junior commission or be enrolled in the Air Force.

Section 13. Procedure before enrolling officer

Upon the appearance before the prescribed enrolling officer of any person desirous of being enrolled, the enrolling officer shall read and explain to him, or cause to be read and explained to him in his presence, the conditions of the service for which he is to be enrolled; and shall put to him the questions set forth in the prescribed form of enrolment, and shall, after having cautioned him that if he makes a false answer to any such question he will be liable to punishment under this Act, record or cause to be recorded his answer to each such question.

Section 14. Mode of enrolment

If, after complying with the provisions of section 13, the enrolling officer is satisfied that the person desirous of being enrolled fully understands the questions put to him and consents to the conditions of service, and if such officer perceives no impediment, he shall sign and shall also cause such person to sign the enrolment paper, and such person shall thereupon be deemed to be enrolled.

Section 15. Validity of enrolment

Every person who has for the space of three months been in receipt of pay as a person enrolled under this Act and been borne on the rolls of any unit shall be deemed to have been duly enrolled and shall not be entitled to claim his discharge on the ground of any irregularity or illegality in his enrolment or on any other ground whatsoever; and if any person in receipt of such pay and borne on the rolls as aforesaid claims his discharge before the expiry of three months from his enrolment, no such irregularity or illegality or other ground shall, until he is discharged in pursuance of his claim, affect his position as an enrolled person under this Act or invalidate any proceedings, act or thing taken or done prior to his discharge.

Section 16. Persons to be attested

The following persons shall be attested, namely:-

Section 17. Mode of attestation

(1) When a person who is to be attested is reported fit for duty, or has completed the prescribed period of probation, an oath or affirmation shall be administered to him in the prescribed form by his commanding officer in front of his unit or such portion thereof as may be present, or by any other prescribed person.

(2) The form of oath or affirmation prescribed under this section shall contain a promise that the person to be attested will be faithful to Bangladesh and its Constitution and bear true allegiance to the President of Bangladesh and that he will honestly and faithfully serve in the Air Force and go wherever he is ordered by land, sea or air and that he will obey all commands of any officer set over him, even to the peril of his life.

(3) The fact of an enrolled person having taken the oath or affirmation directed by this section to be taken shall be entered on his enrolment paper, and authenticated by the signature of the officer administering the oath or affirmation.

Section 18. Tenure of service under the Act

Every person subject to this Act shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.

Section 19. Termination of service by Government

Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder, the Government may dismiss or remove from the service any person subject to this Act.

Section 20. Dismissal, removal or reduction by Commander of Air Staff or other officers

(1) The Chief of Air Staff, or any officer, empowered in this behalf under the rules may at any time dismiss or remove from the service any person subject to this Act other than an officer.

(2) The Chief of Air Staff or any officer empowered in this behalf under the rules may reduce to a lower grade, or to a lower rank or to the ranks, any non-commissioned officer.

(3) The Chief of Air Staff or any officer empowered in this behalf under the rules may reduce to a lower class in the ranks any airman other than a non-commissioned officer.

(4) The commanding officer of an acting non-commissioned officer may order him to revert to his substantive rank as a non-commissioned officer, or if he has no substantive rank, to the ranks.

(5) On active service, an officer commanding the air forces in the field may reduce to a lower rank or to the ranks any non-commissioned officer under his command.

(6) The exercise of any powers under this section shall be subject to the other provisions contained in this Act, and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

Section 21. Retirement, release or discharge

Any person subject to this Act may be retired, released or discharged from the service by such authority and in such manner as may be prescribed.

Section 22. Certificate on termination of service

Every warrant officer, or enrolled person who is dismissed, removed, discharged, retired or released from the service shall be furnished by his commanding officer with a certificate setting forth-

Section 23. Discharge or dismissal when out of Bangladesh

(1) Any person enrolled under this Act who is entitled under the conditions of his enrolment to be discharged, or whose discharge is ordered by a competent authority, and who, when he is so entitled or ordered to be discharged, is serving out of Bangladesh, and requests to be sent to Bangladesh, shall, before being discharged, be sent to Bangladesh with all convenient speed.

(2) Any person enrolled under this Act who is dismissed from the service and who, when he is so dismissed, is serving out of Bangladesh, shall be sent to Bangladesh with all convenient speed.

(3) Where any such person as is mentioned in sub-section (2) is sentenced to dismissal combined with any other punishment, such other punishment, or, in the case of a sentence of imprisonment or detention, a portion of such sentence, may be inflicted before he is sent to Bangladesh.

(4) For the purposes of this section, the word “discharge” includes release, and the word “dismissal” includes removal.

Section 24. Power to modify certain fundamental rights in their application to persons subject to this Act

Subject to the provisions of any law for the time being in force relating to the Air Force or to any branch thereof, the Government may, by notification, make rules restricting in such manner and to such extent as may be specified the right of any person subject of this Act-

Section 25. Authorised deductions only to be made from pay

The pay and allowances of every person subject to this Act due to him as such under any regulation for the time being in force, shall be paid without any deduction other than the deductions authorised by or under this or any other Act, or prescribed by the Government.

Section 26. Remedy of aggrieved warrant officers and airmen

(1) Any ²³Master warrant officer or warrant officer or airman who deems himself wronged by any superior or other officer may, if not attached to a unit or detachment, complain to the officer under whose command or order he is serving; and may, if attached to a unit or detachment, complain to the officer commanding the same.

(2) When the officer complained against is the officer to whom any complaint should, under sub-section (1) be preferred, the aggrieved ²⁴master warrant officer or warrant officer or airman may complain to such officer's next superior officer, and if he thinks himself wronged by such superior officer, he may complain to the Chief of Air Staff.

(3) Every officer receiving any such complaint shall make as complete an investigation into it as may be possible for giving full redress to the complainant; or when necessary, refer the complaint to a superior authority.

(4) Every such complaint shall be preferred in such manner as may from time to time be specified by the proper authority.

(5) The Government may revise any decision by the Chief of Air Staff under sub-section (2), but subject thereto, the decision of the Chief of Air Staff shall be final.

Section 27. Remedy of aggrieved officers

Any officer who deems himself wronged by his commanding officer or any superior officer, and who on due application made to his commanding officer, does not receive the redress to which he considers himself entitled, may complain to the Government in such manner as may from time to time be specified by the proper authority.

Section 28. Immunity from attachment

The arms, clothes, equipment, accoutrement or necessaries of any person subject to this Act shall not be seized, and the pay and allowances of any such person or any part thereof shall not be attached, by direction of any civil or revenue court or any revenue officer, in satisfaction of any decree or order enforceable against him.

Section 29. Immunity from arrest for debt

(1) No person subject to this Act shall so long as he belongs to the Air Force, be liable to be arrested for debt under any process issued by, or by the authority of, any civil or revenue court or revenue officer.

(2) The judge of any such court or the said officer may examine into any complaint made by such person or his superior officer of the arrest of such person contrary to the provisions of this section, and may by warrant under his hand, discharge the person, and award reasonable costs to the complainant, who may recover these costs in like manner as he might have recovered costs awarded to him by a decree against the person obtaining the process.

(3) For the recovery of such costs no court-fee shall be payable by the complainant.

Section 30. Immunity of persons attending courts-martial from arrest

(1) No president or member of a court-martial, no judge advocate, no party to any proceeding before a court-martial, or his legal practitioner or agent, and no witness acting in obedience to a summons to attend a court-martial, shall, while proceeding to, attending, or returning from a court-martial, be liable to arrest by civil or revenue process.

(2) If any such person is arrested under any such process, he may be discharged by order of the court-martial.

Section 31. Privileges of reservists

Every person belonging to the Air Force Reserve shall, when called out for, or engaged in, or returning from training or service, be entitled to all the privileges accorded by sections 28 and 29 to a person subject to this Act.

Section 32. Priority in respect of Air Force personnel’s litigation

(1) On the presentation to any court by or on behalf of any person subject to this Act of a certificate, from the proper Air Force authority, of leave of absence having been granted to or applied for by him for the purpose of prosecuting or defending any suit or other proceeding in such court, the court shall, on the application of such person, arrange, so far as may be possible, for the hearing and final disposal of such suit or other proceeding within the period of the leave so granted or applied for.

(2) The certificate from the proper Air Force authority shall state the first and last day of the leave or intended leave, and set forth a description of the case with respect to which the leave was granted or applied for.

(3) No fee shall be payable to the court in respect of the presentation of any such certificate or of any application by or on behalf of any such person for priority for the hearing of his case.

(4) Where the court is unable to arrange for the hearing and final disposal of the suit or other proceeding within the period of such leave or intended leave as aforesaid, it shall record its reasons for its inability to do so, and shall cause a copy thereof to be furnished to such person on his application without any payment whatever by him in respect either of the application for such copy or of the copy itself.

(5) If in any case a question arises as to the proper Air Force authority qualified to grant such certificate as aforesaid, such question shall be at once referred by the court to an officer, commanding an Air Force station or a superior Air Force authority whose decision shall be final.

Section 33. Saving of rights and privileges under other laws

The rights and privileges specified in the preceding sections of this Chapter shall be in addition to any others conferred on persons subject to this Act or on members of the regular Army, Navy and Air Force generally by any other law for the time being in force.

Section 34. Offences in relation to the enemy and punishable with death

Any person subject to this Act, who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer death.

Section 35. Offences in relation to the enemy and not punishable with death

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer long imprisonment.

Section 36. Offences punishable more severely on active service than at other terms

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial,

if he commits any such offence when on active service, be liable to suffer long imprisonment; and

if he commits any such offence when not on active service, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 37. Mutiny

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court- martial, be liable to suffer death.

Section 38. Desertion and aiding desertion

(1) Any person subject to this Act who deserts or attempts to desert the service, shall on conviction by court-martial,-

if he commits the offence on active service or when under orders for active service, be liable to suffer long imprisonment; and

if he commits the offence under any other circumstances, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

(2) Any person subject to this Act,-

who knowingly harbours any such deserter ; or

who being cognisant of any desertion or attempt at desertion of a person subject to this Act, does not forthwith give notice to his own or some other superior officer, or take any steps in his power to cause such person to be apprehended,

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 39. Absence without leave

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say,-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 40. Striking or threatening superior officer

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say,-

shall, on conviction by court-martial,

if such officer is at the time in the execution of his office or, if the offence is committed on active service, be liable to suffer long imprisonment; and

in other cases, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 41. Disobedience to superior officer

(1) Any person subject to this Act who disobeys in such manner as to show a wilful defiance of authority any lawful command given personally by his superior officer in the execution of his office whether the same is given orally or in writing or by signal or otherwise shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer long imprisonment.

(2) Any person subject to this Act, who disobeys any lawful command given by his superior officer shall, on conviction by court-martial,-

if he commits such offence when on active service, be liable to suffer long imprisonment; and

if he commits such offence when not on active service, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 42. Insubordination and obstruction

Any person subject to this Act, who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 43. Fraudulent enrolment

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 44. False answers on enrolment

Any person having become subject to this Act who is discovered to have made at the time of enrolment a wilfully false answer to any question set forth in the prescribed form of enrolment which has been put to him by the enrolling officer before whom he appears for the purpose of being enrolled, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 45. Unbecoming conduct

Any officer or ²⁵master warrant officer or warrant officer who behaves in a manner unbecoming his position and the character expected of him shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to be dismissed.

Section 46. Certain forms of disgraceful conduct

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say,-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 47. Ill- treating a subordinate

Any officer, ²⁶master warrant officer, warrant officer or non-commissioned officer, who uses criminal force to or otherwise ill-treats any person subject to this Act, being his subordinate in rank or position, shall , on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 48. Intoxication

(1) Any person subject to this Act who is found in a state of intoxication, whether on duty or not, shall, on conviction by court-martial, if he is an officer, be liable to be dismissed; and if he is not an officer, be liable, subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), to suffer short imprisonment.

(2) When an offence of being intoxicated is committed by a person other than an officer when not on active service, or not on duty, the sentence imposed shall not exceed detention for a period of six months.

Section 49. Permitting escape of person in custody

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable, if he has acted wilfully, to suffer long imprisonment; and if he has not acted wilfully, to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 50. Irregularity in connection with arrest or confinement

Any person subject to this Act, who commits any of the following offences, that is to say,-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 51. Escape from custody

Any person subject to this Act who, being in lawful custody, escapes or attempts to escape, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 52. Offences in respect of property

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer long imprisonment.

Section 53. Extortion and corruption

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 54. Making away with equipment

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 55. Injury to property

Any person subject to this Act, who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 56. False accusation

Any person subject to this Act, who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 57. Falsifying official document and false declaration

Any person subject to this Act, who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 58. Signing in blank and failure to report

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 59. Offences relating to courts-martial

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 60. False evidence

Any person subject to this Act who, having been duly sworn or affirmed before any court-martial, or other authority competent under this Act to administer an oath or affirmation, makes any statement which is false, and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 61. Unlawful detention of pay

Any officer, ²⁷master warrant officer, warrant officer or non-commissioned officer who, having received the pay of a person subject to this Act unlawfully detains or refuses to pay the same when due, shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 62. Offences in relation to aircraft and flying

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable, if he has acted wilfully, to suffer long imprisonment, and, in any other case, to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 63. Other offences relating to aircraft and flying

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 64. Disobedience of lawful command of captain of aircraft

Any person subject to this Act who, whatever his rank, commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer long imprisonment.

Section 65. Violation of good order and Air Force discipline

Any person subject to this Act who is guilty of any act or omission which though not specified in this Act, is prejudicial to good order and Air Force discipline shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 66. Miscellaneous offences

Any person subject to this Act who commits any of the following offences, that is to say:-

shall, on conviction by court-martial, be liable to suffer short imprisonment.

Section 67. Attempt

Any person subject to this Act who attempts to commit any of the offences specified in sections 34 to 66 inclusive, or to cause such an offence to be committed, and in such attempt does any act towards the commission of the offence shall, on conviction by court-martial, where no express provision is made by this Act for the punishment of such attempt, be liable,

if the offence attempted to be committed is punishable with death, to suffer long imprisonment; and

if the offence attempted to be committed is punishable with imprisonment to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to one-half of the longest term provided for that offence.

Section 68. Abetment of offences that have been committed

Any person subject to this Act who abets the commission of any of the offences specified in sections 34 to 66 inclusive, shall, on conviction by curt-martial, if the act abetted is committed in consequence of the abetment and no express provision is made by this Act for the punishment of such abetment, be liable to suffer the punishment provided for that offence.

Section 69. Abetment of offences punishable with death and not committed

Any person subject to this Act who abets the commission of any of the offences punishable with death under sections 34 and 37 shall, on conviction by court-martial, if that offence be not committed in consequence of the abetment and no express provision is made by this Act for the punishment of such abetment, be liable to suffer long imprisonment.

Section 70. Abetment of offences punishable with imprisonment and not committed

Any person subject to this Act who abets the commission of any of the offences specified in sections 34 to 66 inclusive, and punishable with imprisonment shall, on conviction by court-martial, if that offence be not committed in consequence of the abetment, and no express provision is made by this Act for the punishment of such abetment, be liable to suffer imprisonment for a term which may extend to one-half of the longest term provided for that offence.

Section 71. Civil offences

(1) Subject to the provisions of section 72, any person subject to this Act who at any place in or beyond Bangladesh commits any civil offence shall be deemed to be guilty of an offence against this Act and, if charged therewith under this section shall be liable to be dealt with under this Act and, on conviction, be punishable as follows, that is to say:-

Provided that, where transportation is assigned as a punishment for the offence by the law of Bangladesh, he shall be liable to suffer, in lieu of transportation, rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding the term of transportation awardable under such law for that offence; rigorous imprisonment for fourteen years being deemed for this purpose the equivalent of transportation for life; and

(2) The powers of a court-martial or an officer exercising authority under section 82 or section 86 to change and to punish any person under this section shall not be affected by reason of the fact that the civil offence with which such person is charged is also an Air Force offence.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force, a person who becomes subject to this Act by reason of his being accused of an offence mentioned in clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 2 shall be liable to be tired or otherwise dealt with under this Act for such offence as if the offence were an offence against this Act and were committed at the time when such person was subject to this Act; and the provisions of this section shall have effect accordingly.

Section 72. Civil offences not triable by courts-martial

A person subject to this Act who commits an offence of murder against a person not subject to Military, Naval or Air Force law, or of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against such a person, or of rape in relation to such a person, shall not be deemed to be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall not be tried by a court-martial, unless he commits any of the said offences:-

Section 73. Punishments awardable by courts-martial

Punishments may be inflicted in respect of offences committed by persons subject to this Act and convicted by courts-martial according to the scale following, that is to say:-

Section 74. Alternate punishments awardable by courts-martial

Subject to the provisions of this Act, a court-martial, may, on convicting a person subject to this Act of any of the offences specified in sections 34 to 70 inclusive, award either the particular punishment with which the offence is stated in the said sections to be punishable, or, in lieu thereof, any one of the punishments lower in the scale set out in section 73, regard being had to the nature and degree of the offence.

Section 75. Combination of punishments

A sentence of a court-martial may award, in addition to or without any one other punishment, the punishment specified in clause (e) of section 73 and any one or more of the punishments specified in clauses (f) to (l) of that section.

Section 76. Dismissal of officers and warrant officers

Whenever an officer or a ³⁰master warrant officer or a warrant officer is sentenced to imprisonment, the Court shall, by its sentence, sentence such officer or warrant officer to be dismissed from the service.

Section 77. Field punishment

(1) Where any person subject to this Act and under the rank of warrant officer commits any offence on active service, it shall be lawful for a court-martial to award for that offence any such punishment as is prescribed as a filed punishment.

(2) Field punishment shall be of the character of personal restraint or of hard labour but shall not be of a nature to cause injury to life or limb and shall not include flogging.

Section 78. Position of field punishment in scale of punishments

Field punishment shall for the purpose of commutation, be deemed to stand next below dismissal in the scale of punishments specified in section 73.

Section 79. Result of certain punishments in the case of a non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer sentenced by a court-martial to imprisonment, detention, field punishment or dismissal from the service shall be deemed to be reduced to the ranks.

Section 80. Retention in the ranks of a person convicted on active service

When, on active service, any enrolled person has been sentenced by a court-martial to dismissal or to imprisonment or detention, whether combined with dismissal or not, the prescribed officer may direct that such person may be retained to serve in the ranks and such service, shall be reckoned as part of his term of imprisonment or detention, if any.

Section 81. Punishments otherwise than by court-martial

Punishments may also be inflicted in respect of offences committed by persons subject to this Act without the intervention of a court-martial and in the manner stated in sections 82 and 86.

Section 82. Punishment of persons other than officers and warrant officers

Subject to the provisions of sections 83 and 84, a commanding officer or such other officer as is, with the consent of the Government, specified by the Chief of Air Staff, may, in the prescribed manner, proceed against a person subject to this Act otherwise than as an officer or ³¹master warrant officer or warrant officer who is charged with an offence under this Act and award such person, to the extent prescribed, one or more of the following punishments, that is to say:-

³²(dd) relinquishment of substantive rank;

Section 83. Requirement of sanction in certain cases

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), the punishments mentioned in section 82 shall not be inflicted in respect of an offence under any of the sections 34, 35 and 36 when committed on active service, or under any of the sections 37, 38, 40, 42(f) and (g), 43, 47, 52, 60, 62, 63, 64, 66(a), (b) and (c) and 71 except with the previous sanction in writing of an officer having power to convene a district court-martial.

(2) The said punishments may be awarded without such sanction in the case of any offence, other than an offence under section 34 or section 71, committed by persons who have not been enrolled as combatants.

Section 84. Limit of punishments under section 82

(1) An award of punishment under section 82 shall not include field punishment in addition to one or more of the punishments specified in clauses (a) and (b) of that section.

(2) In the case of an award of two or more of the punishments specified in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of the said section, the punishment specified in clause (b) or clause (c) shall take effect only at the end of the punishment specified in clause (a).

(3) When punishments specified in the said clauses (a) and (b) are awarded to a person conjointly, or when already undergoing one or both of the said punishments and any other punishment is awarded, the whole extent of the punishments shall not exceed in the aggregate forty-two days.

(4) The punishments specified in clauses (a), (b), (c), (e), (g) and (j) of section 82 shall not be awarded to any person who is of the rank of non-commissioned officer or was, at the time of committing the offence for which he is punished, of such rank.

(5) The punishment specified in clause (f) of the said section shall not be awarded to any person below the rank of a non-commissioned officer.

(6) The punishment specified in clause (dd) of the said section shall not be awarded to any person of the rank of sergeant and flight-sergeant.

Section 85. Punishments in addition to those specified in section 82

The Chief of Air Staff may, with the consent of the Government, specify such other punishments as may be awarded under section 82 in addition to or without any of the punishments specified in the said section, and the extent to which such other punishments may be awarded.

Section 86. Punishment of officers and warrant officers

An officer having power to convene a general court-marital or such other officer as is, with the consent of the Government, specified by the Chief of Air Staff may, in the prescribed manner, proceed against an officer below the rank of squadron leader or a warrant officer, who is charged with an offence under this Act, and award one or more of the following punishments, that is to say:-

Section 87. Transmission of proceedings

In every case in which punishment has been awarded under section 86, certified true copies of the proceedings shall be forwarded, in the prescribed manner, by the officer awarding the punishment, to a superior Air Force authority as defined in section 89.

Section 88. Review of proceedings

If any punishment awarded under section 82 or 86, appears to a superior Air Force authority as defined in section 89 to be illegal, unjust or excessive, such authority may cancel, vary or remit the punishment and make such other direction as may be appropriate in the circumstances of the case.

Section 89. Superior Air Force authority

For the purposes of sections 87 and 88, a “superior Air Force authority” means-

Section 90. Deduction from pay and allowances of officers

Subject to the provisions of section 94, the following penal deductions may be made from the pay and allowances of an officer, that is to say:-

Section 91. Deductions from pay and allowances of warrant officers and airmen

Subject to the provisions of section 94, the following penal deductions may be made from the pay and allowances of a warrant officer or an airman, that is to say:-

Section 92. Computation of time of absence or custody

For the purposes of clauses (a) and (b) of section 91-

Section 93. Pay and allowances during trial

In the case of any person subject to this Act who is in custody or under suspension from duty on a charge for an offence, the prescribed officer may direct that the whole or any part of the pay and allowances of such person shall be withheld, pending the result of his trial on the charge against him, in order to give effect to the provisions of clause (b) of sections 90 and 91.

Section 94. Limit of certain deductions

The total deductions from the pay and allowances of a person made under clauses (d) to (g) and clause (i) of section 90, and clauses (e) and (g) to (i) of section 91 shall not, except where he is sentenced to dismissal, exceed in any one month one-half of his pay and allowances for that month.

Section 95. Deduction from public money due to a person

Any sum authorised by this Act to be deducted from the pay and allowances of any person may, without prejudice to any other mode of recovering the same, be deducted from any public money due to him other than a pension.

Section 96. Pay and allowances of prisoner of war during inquiry into his conduct

Where the conduct of any person subject to this Act when being taken prisoner by, or while in the hands of, the enemy, is to be inquired into under this Act or any other law, the Chief of Air Staff or any officer authorised by him may order that the whole or any part of the pay and allowances of such person shall be withheld pending the result of such inquiry.

Section 97. Remission of deductions

Any deduction from pay and allowances authorised by this Act may be remitted in such manner, and to such extent and by such authority, as may from time to time be prescribed.

Section 98. Provision for dependants of prisoner of war where remission is made

In case of all persons subject to this Act, being prisoners of war, whose pay and allowances have been forfeited under clause (h) of section 90 or clause (a) of section 91, but in respect of whom a remission has been made under section 97, it shall be lawful for proper provision to be made by the prescribed authorities out of such pay and allowances for any dependants of such persons, and any such remission shall in that case be deemed to apply only to the balance thereafter remaining of such pay and allowances.

Section 99. Provision for dependants of prisoner of war from his pay and allowances

It shall be lawful for proper provision to be made by the prescribed authorities for any dependants of any person subject to this Act, who is a prisoner of war or is missing out of his pay and allowances.

Section 100. Period during which a person is deemed to be a prisoner of war

For the purposes of sections 98 and 99, a person shall be deemed to continue to be a prisoner of war until the conclusion of any inquiry into his conduct such as is referred to in section 96, and if he is dismissed from the service in consequence of such conduct, until the date of such dismissal.

Section 101. Custody of offenders

(1) Any person subject to this Act who is charged with an offence may be taken into Air Force custody.

(2) Any such person may be ordered into Air Force custody by any superior officer.

(3) Any officer may order into Air Force custody any officer, though he may be of a higher rank, engaged in a quarrel, affray or disorder.

Section 102. Duty of commanding officer in regard to detention

(1) It shall be the duty of every commanding officer to take care that a person under his command when charged with an offence is not detained in custody for more than forty-eight hours after the committal of such person into custody is reported to him, without the charge being investigated, unless investigation within that period seems to him to be impracticable with due regard to the public service.

(2) Every case of a person being detained in custody beyond a period of forty-eight hours, and the reason thereof shall be reported by the commanding officer to the Air or other officer to whom application would be made to convene a general or district court-martial for the trial of the person charged.

(3) In reckoning the period of forty-eight hours specified in sub-section (1), Sundays and public holidays shall be excluded.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Government may make rules providing for the manner in which and the period for which any person subject to this Act may be taken into and detained in Air Force custody, pending the trial by any competent authority for any offence committed by him.

Section 103. Interval between committal and trial

In every case where any such person as is mentioned in section 101 and as is not on active service remains in such custody for a longer period than eight days, without a court-martial for his trial being ordered to assemble, a special report giving reasons for the delay shall be made by his commanding officer in the manner prescribed; and a similar report shall be forwarded every eight days until a court-martial is assembled or such person is released from custody.

Section 104. Arrest by civil authorities

Whenever any person subject to this Act, who is accused of any offence under this Act, is within the jurisdiction of any magistrate or police officer, such magistrate or police officer shall aid in the apprehension and delivery to Air Force custody of such person upon receipt of a written application to that effect signed by his commanding officer.

Section 105. Capture of deserters

(1) Whenever any person subject to this Act, deserts, the commanding officer of the unit or detachment to which he belongs, shall give written information of the desertion to such civil authorities as, in his opinion, may be able to afford assistance towards the capture of the deserter; and such authorities shall there upon take steps for the apprehension of the said deserter in like manner as if he were a person for whose apprehension a warrant had been issued by a magistrate, and shall deliver the deserter, when apprehended, into Air Force custody.

(2) Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person reasonably believed to be subject to this Act, and to be a deserter or to be travelling without authority, and shall bring him without delay before the nearest magistrate, to be dealt with according to law.

Inquiry into any other matter

³³106A. A board of inquiry may also be assembled in the prescribed manner to inquire into any matter which may be referred to it.

Section 106. Inquiry into absence without leave

(1) When any person subject to this Act has been absent from his duty without due authority for a period of thirty days, a board of inquiry shall, as soon as practicable, be assembled, and such board shall on oath or affirmation administered in the prescribed manner, inquire respecting the absence of the person, and the deficiency, if any, in the property of the Government entrusted to his care, or in any arms, ammunition, equipment, instruments, clothing or necessaries, and if satisfied of the fact of such absence without due authority or other sufficient cause the board shall declare such absence and the period thereof, and the said deficiency, if any; and the commanding officer of the unit to which the person belongs shall enter, in the court-martial book of the unit a record of the declaration.

(2) If the person declared absent does not afterwards surrender or is not apprehended, he shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to be a deserter.

Section 107. Provost-marshals

(1) Provost-marshals may be appointed by the Chief of Air Staff, or by any prescribed officer.

(2) The duties of a provost-marshal are to take charge of persons confined for any offence, to preserve good order and discipline, and to prevent breaches of the same by persons serving in, or attached to the Air Force.

(3) A provost-marshal may at any time arrest and detain for trial any person subject to this Act who commits, or is charged with, an offence, and may also carry into effect any punishment to the inflicted in pursuance of the sentence awarded by a court-martial or an officer exercising authority under section 82 but shall not inflict any punishment on his own authority:

Provided that no officer shall be so arrested or detained otherwise than on the order of another officer.

(4) For the purposes of sub-sections (2) and (3), a “provost-marshal” shall be deemed to include a provost-marshal appointed under the ³⁴* * Army Act, 1952, or the ³⁵ * * Navy Ordinance, 1961, and any person legally exercising authority under him or on his behalf.

Section 108. Different kinds of courts-martial

For the purposes of this Act there shall be three kinds of courts-martial, that is to say:-

(1) general courts-martial;

(2) district courts-martial; and

(3) field general courts-martial.

Section 109. Powers to convene a general court-martial

A general court-martial may be convened by the Chief of Air Staff, or by any officer empowered in this behalf by warrant of the Chief of Air Staff.

Section 110. Power to convene a district court-martial

A district court-martial may be convened by any authority having power to convene a general court-martial or by any officer empowered in this behalf by warrant of any such authority.

Section 111. Limitations of powers of convening authorities

A warrant issued under section 109 or section 110 may contain such restrictions, reservations or conditions as the authority issuing it may think fit.

Section 112. Power to convene a field general court-martial

The following authorities shall have the power to convene a field general court-martial, namely:-

Section 113. Composition of general court-martial

A general court-martial shall consist of not less than five officers, each of whom has held a commission for not less than three whole years and of whom not less than four are of a rank not below that of flight-lieutenant.

Section 114. Composition of district court-martial

A district court-martial shall consist of not less than three officers, each of whom has held a commission for not less than two whole years.

Section 115. Composition of field general court-martial

A field general court-martial shall consist of not less than three officers.

Section 116. Dissolution of court-martial

(1) If a court-martial after the commencement of a trial is reduced below the minimum number of officers required by this Act, it shall be dissolved.

(2) If on account of the illness of the judge advocate or of the accused before the finding, it is impossible to continue the trial, a court-martial shall be dissolved.

(3) The officer who convened a court-martial may dissolve such court-martial if it appears to him that the exigencies of the service or the necessities of discipline render it impossible or inexpedient to continue the trial.

(4) Where a court-martial is dissolved under this section, the accused may be tried again.

Section 117. Powers of general and field general courts-martial

A general or field general court-martial shall have power to try any person subject to this Act for any offence punishable therein and to pass any sentence authorised thereby.

Section 118. Powers of district court-martial

A district court-martial shall have power to try any person subject to this Act other than an officer or ³⁶master warrant officer or warrant officer for any offence made punishable therein, and to pass any sentence authorised by this Act other than a sentence of death or imprisonment for a term exceeding two years.

Section 119. Prohibition of second trial

When any person subject to this Act has been acquitted or convicted of an offence by a court-martial or by a criminal court, or has been dealt with under section 82 or section 86, he shall not be liable to be tried again for the same offence by a court-martial or by a criminal Court or be dealt with in respect of it under the said sections.

Section 120. Period of limitation for trial

(1) Except as provided by sub-section (2), no trial by court-martial of any person subject to this Act for any offence shall be commenced after the expiration of a period of three years from the date of such offence.

(2) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply to a trial for an offence of desertion or fraudulent enrolment or for any of the offences mentioned in section 37 or section 52.

(3) In the computation of the period of time mentioned in sub-section (1), any time spent by such person as a prisoner of war, or in any enemy territory, or in evading arrest after the commission of the offence, shall be excluded.

(4) No trial for an offence of desertion (other than desertion on active service) or of fraudulent enrolment shall be commenced if the person in question (not being an officer) has, subsequently to the commission of the offence, served continuously in an exemplary manner for not less than three years with any portion of the Bangladesh regular forces.

Section 121. Liability of offender who ceases to be subject to the Act

(1) Where an offence under this Act had been committed by any person while subject to this Act, and he has ceased to be so subject, he may be taken into and kept in Air Force custody, and tried and punished for such offence as if he had continued to be so subject.

(2) Except as provided by sub-sections (3) and (4) any such person shall not be tried for an offence, unless his trial commences within six months after he has ceased to be subject to this Act.

(3) The provisions of sub-section (2) shall not apply to the trial of any such person for an offence of desertion or fraudulent enrolment or for any of the offences mentioned in section 37.

(4) Nothing contained in sub-section (2) shall affect the jurisdiction of a criminal court to try any offence triable by such court as well as by a court-martial.

(5) When a person subject to this Act is sentenced by a court-martial to imprisonment, this Act shall apply to him during the term of his sentence, though he is dismissed from the Air Force or has otherwise ceased to be subject to this Act, and he may be kept, removed, imprisoned and punished as if he continued to be subject to the Act.

(6) When a person subject to this Act is sentenced by a court-martial to death, this Act shall apply to him till the sentence is carried out.

Section 122. Place of trial

Any person subject to this Act who commits any offence against it may be tried and punished for such offence in any place whatever.

Section 123. Order in case of concurrent jurisdiction of criminal court and court-martial

When a criminal court and a court-martial have each jurisdiction in respect of a civil offence, it shall be in the discretion of the prescribed Air Force authority to decide before which court the proceedings shall be instituted, and if that authority decides that they shall be instituted before a court-martial, to direct that the accused person shall be detained in Air Force custody.

Explanation.- In this section the term “court-martial” shall include an officer exercising authority under section 82 or section 86.

Section 124. Power of criminal court to require delivery of offender

(1) When a criminal court having jurisdiction is of opinion that proceedings ought to be instituted before itself in respect of any civil offence, it may, by written notice, require the prescribed Air Force authority at the option of such authority either to deliver over the offender to the nearest magistrate to be proceeded against according to law, or to postpone proceedings pending a reference to the Government.

(2) In every such case the said authority shall either deliver over the offender in compliance with the requisition or shall forthwith refer the question as to the court before which the proceedings are to be instituted for the determination of the Government, whose order upon such reference shall be final.

Section 125. [Omitted.]

[Trial by court-martial no bar to subsequent trial by criminal court.- Omitted by section 20 of the Pakistan Air Force (Amendment) Act, 1967 (Act No. VI of 1967).]

Section 126. President

At every court-martial the senior member shall sit as President.

Section 127. Judge Advocate

Every general court-martial shall, and every district or field general court-martial may, be attended by a judge advocate, who shall be either an officer belonging to the department of the Judge Advocate General, or if no such officer is available, a fit person appointed by the convening officer.

Section 128. Challenges

(1) At all trials by courts-martial, as soon as the court is assembled, the names of the president and members shall be read over to the accused, who shall thereupon be asked whether he objects to being tried by any officer sitting on the Court.

(2) If the accused objects to any such officer, his objection, and also the reply thereto of the officer objected to, shall be heard and recorded, and the remaining officers of the court shall, in the absence of the challenged officer, decide on the objection.

(3) If the objection is allowed by one-half or more of the votes of the officers entitled to vote, the objection shall be allowed, and the member objected to shall retire, and his vacancy may be filled in the prescribed manner by another officer, subject to the same right of the accused to object.

(4) When no challenge is made, or when challenges have been made and disallowed, or the place of every officer successfully challenged has been filled by another officer to whom no objection is made or allowed, the court shall proceed with the trial.

Section 129. Oaths of members, judge advocate and witnesses

(1) An oath or affirmation in the prescribed form shall be administered in open court to every member of every court-martial and to the judge advocate (if any) before the commencement of the trial.

(2) An oath or affirmation in the prescribed form shall be administered in open court to every officer (if any) in attendance on a court-martial for the purpose of instruction, and also to every shorthand writer or interpreter (if any).

(3) Every person giving evidence before a court-martial shall be examined after being duly sworn or affirmed in the prescribed form:

Provided that where a court-martial is satisfied that a child of tender years is unable to understand the nature of an oath or affirmation, it may dispense with the administration of oath or affirmation.

Section 130. Voting by members

(1) Every decision of a court-martial shall be passed by an absolute majority of votes; and where there is an equality of votes on either the finding or the sentence, the decision shall be in favour of the accused:

Provided that no sentence of death shall be passed without the concurrence, in the case of a general court-martial of at least two-thirds of the members and in the case of a field general court-martial of all the members of the court.

(2) In matters other than a challenge or the finding or sentence, the president shall have a second or casting vote.

Section 131. General rules as to evidence

Subject to the provisions of this Act, the rules of evidence in proceedings before court-martial shall be the same as those which are followed in criminal courts.

Section 132. Judicial notice

A court-martial may take judicial notice of any matter within the general, Naval, Military or Air Force knowledge of the members.

Section 133. Summoning witnesses

(1) The convening officer, the president of the court, the judge advocate, or the commanding officer of the accused person may, by summons under his hand, require the attendance at a time and place to be mentioned in the summons of any person either to give evidence or to produce any document or thing.

(2) In the case of a witness amenable to Air Force, Naval or Military authority, the summons shall be sent to his commanding officer and such officer shall serve it upon him accordingly.

(3) In the case of any other witness, the summons shall be sent to the magistrate within whose jurisdiction he may be or reside, and such magistrate shall give effect to the summons as if the witness were required in the court of such magistrate.

(4) When a witness is required to produce any particular document or other thing in his possession or power the summons shall describe it with reasonable precision.

Section 134. Documents exempted from production

(1) Nothing in section 133 shall be deemed to affect the operation of sections 123 and 124 of the Evidence Act, 1872, or to apply to any letter, postcard, telegram or other document in the custody of the postal or telegraph authorities.

(2) If any document in such custody is, in the opinion of any District Magistrate, ³⁷High Court Division or Court of Session, wanted for the purpose of any court-martial, such magistrate or court may require the postal or telegraph authorities, as the case may be, to deliver such document to such person as such magistrate or court may direct.

(3) If any such document is, in the opinion of any other magistrate or of any commissioner of police or district superintendent of police, wanted for any such purpose, he may require the postal or telegraph authorities, as the case may be, to cause search to be made for and to detain such documents pending the orders of any such District Magistrate, ³⁸High Court Division or Court of Session.

Section 135. Commission for the examination of witness

(1) Whenever, in the course of a trial by a court-martial, it appears to the court that the examination of a witness is necessary for the ends of justice, and that the attendance of such witness cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, in the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable, such court may, if it thinks necessary, issue a commission in the manner specified in Chapter XL of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, according as the witness resides in a place in or outside Bangladesh.

(2) The Court may be adjourned for a specified time reasonably sufficient for the execution and return of the commission.

(3) Such a commission shall be executed by the magistrate or officer to whom it is issued in the same manner as if it was issued in the trial of a warrant case under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, or of any corresponding law in force at the place where the evidence is recorded; and shall be returned, together with the deposition of the witness examined thereunder, to the Judge Advocate General.

(4) The Judge Advocate General will forward the same to the court-martial who issued it or, if the said court-martial is in the meanwhile dissolved, to another court-martial convened for the trial of the accused in respect of the same charge and any deposition so taken shall be recorded in evidence and shall form part of the proceedings of the court.

Explanation.- In this section, the expression “Judge Advocate General” includes a Deputy Judge Advocate General.

Section 136. [Omitted.]

[Examination of a witness on commission.- Omitted by section 3 of the Pakistan Army and Air Force (Amendment) Ordinance, 1964 (Ordinance No. VI of 1964).]

Section 137. Conviction of offence not charged

(1) A person charged before a court-martial with desertion may be found guilty of attempting to desert or of being absent without leave.

(2) A person charged before a court-martial with attempting to desert may be found guilty of being absent without leave.

(3) A person charged before a court-martial with using criminal force may be found guilty of assault.

(4) A person charged before a court-martial with using threatening language may be found guilty of using insubordinate language.

(5) A person charged before a court-martial with any one of the offences specified in clauses (a), (b), (c) and (d) of section 52 may be found guilty of any other of these offences with which he might have been charged.

(6) A person charged before a court-martial with an offence punishable under section 71 may be found guilty of any other offence of which he might have been found guilty if the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, were applicable.

(7) A person charged before a court-martial with any other offence under this Act may, on failure of proof of an offence having been committed in circumstances involving a more severe punishment, be found guilty of the same offence as having been committed in circumstances involving a less severe punishment.

(8) A person charged before court-martial with any offence under this Act may be found guilty of having attempted to commit or of abetment of that offence although the attempt or abetment is not separately charged.

Section 138. Presumption as to signature

In any proceeding under this Act, any application, certificate, warrant, reply or other document purporting to be signed by an officer in the ³⁹service of the Republic shall, on production, be presumed to have been duly signed by the person by whom and in the character in which it purports to have been signed, until the contrary is shown.

Section 139. Enrolment paper

(1) Any enrolment paper purporting to be signed by an enrolling officer shall, in proceedings under this Act, be evidence that the person enrolled gave the answers which he is therein represented as having given.

(2) The enrolment of such person may be proved by the production of the original or a copy of his enrolment paper purporting to be certified to be a true copy by the officer having the custody of the enrolment paper.

Section 140. Presumption as to certain documents

(1) A letter, return or other document with respect to a person,-

if purporting to be signed by or on behalf of a Secretary to the Government, or on behalf of the Bangladesh Military, Naval or Air Force Headquarters, or by the commanding officer or the officer or record officer having the custody of the records of any portion of those forces or of any of the ships of Bangladesh Navy to which such person appears to have belonged, or alleges that he belongs or had belonged, shall be evidence of the facts stated in such letter, return or other document.

(2) Any Army, Navy or Air Force list or gazette purporting to be published by authority shall be evidence of the status and rank of the officers or ⁴⁰master warrant officers or warrant officers therein mentioned, and of any appointment held by them and of the unit or branch of the service to which they belong.

(3) Where a record is made in any service book in pursuance of this Act or of any rules made thereunder or otherwise in pursuance of duty and purports to be signed by the commanding officer or by the officer whose duty it is to make such record, such record shall be evidence of the facts therein stated.

(4) A copy of any record in any service book purporting to be certified to be a true copy by the officer having the custody of such book shall be evidence of such record.

(5) Where any person subject to this Act is being tried on a charge of desertion or of a absence without leave and such person has surrendered himself into the custody of, or has been apprehended by, any officer, or any portion, of the armed forces of Bangladesh, a certificate purporting to be signed by such officer, or by the commanding officer of that portion of the armed forces and stating the fact, date and place of such surrender or apprehension, shall be evidence of the matters so stated.

(6) Where any person subject to this Act is being tried on a charge of desertion or of absence without leave and such person has on arrest or surrender been taken to a police station in Bangladesh, a certificate purporting to be signed by the officer-in-charge of that police station, and stating the fact, date and place of such surrender or apprehension shall be evidence of the matters so stated.

(7) Any document purporting to be a report under the hand of any Chemical Examiner or Assistant Chemical Examiner to the Government upon any matter or thing duly submitted to him for examination or analysis and report may be used as evidence in any proceeding under this Act.

Section 141. Reference by accused to Government officer

(1) If at any trial, or other proceedings for desertion or absence without leave, overstaying leave, or not re-joining when warned for service, the accused states in his defence any sufficient or reasonable excuse for his unauthorised absence, and refers in support thereof to any officer in the ⁴¹service of the Republic or if it appears that any such officer is likely to prove or disprove the said statement in the defence, the court or officer conducting the proceedings shall address such officer and adjourn the court or proceedings until his reply is received.

(2) The written reply of any officer so addressed shall, if signed by him, be received in evidence and have the same effect as if made on oath before the court or officer conducting the proceedings.

(3) If the court-martial is dissolved before receipt of such reply or if it omits to comply with the provisions of this section, the convening officer may, at his discretion, annul the proceedings and order a fresh trial by the same or another court-martial.

Section 142. Evidence of previous convictions and general character

(1) When any person subject to this Act has been convicted by a court-martial of any offence, such court-martial may inquire into, and receive and record evidence of any previous convictions of such person, either by a court-martial held under this Act or under any other enactment, or by a criminal court, or of any previous award of punishment under section 82 or section 86, and may further inquire into and record the general character of such person, and such other matters as may be prescribed.

(2) Evidence received under this section may be either oral or in the shape of entries in, or certified extracts from service records; and it shall not be necessary to give notice before trial to the person tried that evidence as to his previous convictions or character will be received.

Section 143. Lunacy of accused

(1) Whenever, in the course of a trial by a court-martial, it appears to the court that the person charged is by reason of unsoundness of mind incapable of making his defence, or that he committed the act alleged but was by reason of unsoundness of mind incapable of knowing the nature of the act or knowing that it was wrong or contrary to law, the court shall record a finding accordingly.

(2) The president of the court shall forthwith report the case to the confirming officer.

(3) The confirming officer to whom a case is reported under sub-section (2) may, if he does not confirm the finding, take steps to have the accused person tried by the same or another court-martial for the offence with which he was charged.

(4) The confirming officer confirming a finding in any case so reported to him under sub-section (2) shall order the accused person to be kept in custody in the prescribed manner and shall report the case for the orders of the Government.

(5) On receipt of a report under sub-section (4) the Government may order the accused person to be detained in a lunatic asylum or other suitable place of safe custody.

Section 144. Subsequent fitness of lunatic accused for trial

Where any accused person, having been found by reason of unsoundness of mind to be incapable of making his defence, is in custody or under detention under section 143, the officer commanding a unit or detachment within the area of whose command the accused is in custody or is detained, or any other officer prescribed in this behalf, may-

take steps to have such person tried by the same or another court-martial for the offence with which he was originally charged, or, if the offence is a civil offence, by a criminal court.

Section 145. Transmission to Government of orders under section 144

A copy of every order made by an officer under section 144 for the trial of the accused shall forthwith be sent to the Government.

Section 146. Release of lunatic accused

Where any person is in custody under sub-section (4) of section 143, or under detention under sub-section (5) of that section-

the Government may order that such person be released, or detained in custody, or transferred to a public lunatic asylum if he has not already been sent to such an asylum.

Section 147. Delivery of lunatic accused to relatives

Where any relative or friend of any person, who is in custody under sub-section (4) of section 143 or under detention under sub-section (5) of that section, desires that he should be delivered to his care and custody, the Government may, upon application by such relative or friend and on his giving security to the satisfaction of ⁴²the Government that the person delivered shall-

order such person to be delivered to such relative or friend.

Section 148. Order for custody and disposal of property pending trial

When any property regarding which any offence appears to have been committed, or which appears to have been used for the commission of any offence, is produced before a court-martial during a trial, the court may make such order as it thinks fit for the proper custody of such property pending the conclusion of the trial and, if the property is subject to speedy or natural decay, may, after recording such evidence as it thinks necessary, order it to be sold or otherwise disposed of.

Section 149. Order for disposal of property regarding which offence is committed

(1) After the conclusion of a trial before a court-martial, the court or the officer confirming the finding or sentence of such court-martial, or any authority superior to such officer, may make such order as it or he thinks fit for the disposal by destruction, confiscation, delivery to any person claiming to be entitled to possession thereof or otherwise of any property or document produced before the court or in its custody, or regarding which any offence appears to have been committed or which has been used for the commission of any offence.

(2) Where any order has been made under sub-section (1) in respect of property regarding which an offence appears to have been committed, a copy of such order signed and certified by the authority making the same may, whether the trial was held within Bangladesh or not, be sent to a magistrate in any district in which such property for the time being is, and such magistrate shall thereupon cause the order to be carried into effect as if it was an order passed by such magistrate under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Explanation.- In this section the term “property” includes, in the case of property regarding which an offence appears to have been committed, not only such property as has been originally in the possession or under the control of any person, but also any property into or for which the same may have been converted or exchanged, and anything acquired by such conversion or exchange whether immediately or otherwise.

Section 150. Trial by court-martial to be deemed judicial proceeding, etc.

Any trial by a court-martial under the provisions of this Act shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the ⁴³Penal Code, and the court-martial shall be deemed to be a court within the meaning of sections 480 and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

Section 151. Finding and sentence not valid unless confirmed

No finding or sentence of a general, district or field general court-martial shall be valid except so far as it may be confirmed as provided by this Act.

Section 152. Power to confirm finding and sentence of general court-martial

The findings and sentences of general courts-martial may be confirmed by the Chief of Air Staff or by any officer empowered in this behalf by warrant of the Chief of Air Staff.

Section 153. Power to confirm finding and sentence of district court-martial

The findings and sentences of district courts-martial may be confirmed by any authority having power to convene a general court-martial or by any officer empowered in this behalf by warrant of any such authority.

Section 154. Limitation of powers of confirming authority

A warrant issued under section 152 or section 153 may contain such restrictions, reservations or conditions as the authority issuing it may think fit.

Section 155. Power to confirm finding and sentence of field general court-martial

The findings and sentences of a field general court-martial may be confirmed by the convening officer or if he so directs, by an authority superior to him.

Section 156. Power of confirming authority to mitigate, remit or commute sentences

Subject to such restrictions as may be contained in any warrant issued under section 152 or section 153, a confirming authority may, when confirming the sentence of a court-martial, mitigate or remit the punishment thereby awarded, or commute that punishment for any punishment or punishments lower in the scale laid down in section 73:

Provided that a sentence of imprisonment shall not be commuted to a sentence of detention for a term exceeding the term of imprisonment awarded by the court.

Section 157. Confirmation of finding and sentence on board a ship

When any person subject to this Act is tried and sentenced by court-martial while on board ship, the finding and sentence so far as not confirmed and executed on board ship may be confirmed and executed in like manner as if such person had been tried at the port of disembarkation.

Section 158. Revision of finding and sentence

(1) Any finding or sentence of a court-martial may be once revised by order of the confirming authority; and on such revision, the court, if so directed by the confirming authority, may take additional evidence.

(2) The court, on revision, shall consist of the same officers as were present when the original decision was passed, unless any of those officers are unavoidably absent.

(3) In case of such unavoidable absence the cause thereof shall be duly recorded in the proceedings, and the court shall proceed with the revision, provided that, if a general court-martial, it still consists of five officers, or, if a field general or district court-martial, of three officers.

Section 159. Alteration of finding or sentence in certain cases

(1) Where a finding of guilty by a court-martial, which has been confirmed, is found for any reason to be invalid or cannot be supported by the evidence, the authority which would have had power under section 177 to commute the punishment awarded by the sentence, if the finding had been valid, may substitute a new finding and pass a sentence for the offence specified or involved in such finding:

Provided that no such substitution shall be made unless such finding could have been validly made by the court-martial on the charge and unless it appears that the court-martial must have been satisfied of the facts establishing the offence.

(2) Where a sentence passed by a court-martial which has been confirmed, not being a sentence passed in pursuance of a new finding substituted under sub-section (1), is found for any reason to be invalid, the authority referred to in sub-section (1) may pass a valid sentence.

(3) The punishment awarded by a sentence passed under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall not be higher in the scale of punishments than, or in excess of, the punishment awarded by, the sentence for which a new sentence is substituted under this section.

(4) Any finding substituted, or any sentence passed, under this section shall for the purposes of this Act and the rules made thereunder have effect as if it were a finding or sentence of a court-martial.

Section 160. Remedy against order, finding or sentence of court-martial

(1) Any person subject to this Act who considers himself aggrieved by any order passed by a court-martial may present a petition to the officer or authority empowered to confirm any finding or sentence of such court-martial, and the confirming authority may take such steps as may be considered necessary to satisfy itself as to the correctness, legality or propriety of the order passed or as to the regularity of any proceeding to which the order relates.

(2) Any person subject to this Act who considers himself aggrieved by a finding or sentence of a court-martial which has been confirmed, may present a petition to the Government or the Chief of Air Staff, who may pass such order thereon as it or he thinks fit.

Section 161. Annulment of proceedings

The Government or the Chief of Air Staff may annul the proceedings of any court-martial on the ground that they are illegal or unjust.

Section 162. Bar of Appeals

No court shall question the correctness, legality or propriety of any proceeding or decision of any court-martial, and no remedy shall lie in respect of any such proceeding or decision save as provided in this Act.

Section 163. Form of sentence of death

In awarding a sentence of death a court-martial shall, in its discretion, direct that the offender shall suffer death by being hanged by the neck until he be dead, or shall suffer death by being shot to death.

Section 164. Commencement of sentence of imprisonment or detention

Whenever any person is sentenced under this Act to imprisonment, or detention, the term of his sentence shall, whether it has been revised or not, be reckoned to commence on the day on which the original proceedings were signed by the president.

Section 165. Execution of sentence of imprisonment

Whenever any sentence of imprisonment is passed under this Act, or whenever any sentence so passed is commuted to imprisonment, the confirming officer or such officer as may be prescribed in this behalf, may direct either that the sentence shall be carried out by confinement in a civil prison or by confinement in a Military or Air Force prison, and the commanding officer of the person under sentence or such other officer as may be prescribed, shall forward a warrant in the prescribed form to the officer in charge of the prison in which the person under sentence is to be confined, and shall forward him to such prison with the warrant:

Provided that in the case of a sentence of imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months, in lieu of a direction that the sentence shall be carried out by confinement in a Civil, Military or Air Force prison, a direction may be made that the sentence shall be carried out by confinement in Air Force custody:

Provided further that on active service a sentence of imprisonment may be carried out by confinement in such place as the officer commanding the forces in the field may from time to time appoint.

Section 166. Execution of sentence of imprisonment in special cases

Whenever, in the opinion of the Chief of Air Staff or an Air or other Officer Commanding a group any sentence or portion of a sentence of imprisonment cannot, for special reasons, conveniently be carried out in accordance with the provisions of section 165, such officer may direct that such sentence or portion of sentence shall be carried out by confinement in any civil prison or other fit place.

Section 167. Execution of sentence of detention

When any sentence of detention is passed under this Act, or when any sentence so passed is commuted to detention, the punishment shall he carried out by detaining the offender in any Military or Air Force detention barracks, detention cells or other Military or Air Force custody, and when the sentence is to be carried out by detention in any Military or Air Force detention barracks, the commanding officer of the person under sentence, or such other officer as may be prescribed, shall forward the person under sentence, together with a warrant in the prescribed form, to the officer in charge of the said detention barracks.

Section 168. Interim custody of persons under sentence of death, imprisonment or detention

(1) When a person is sentenced by court-martial to suffer death and the sentence has been confirmed, the commanding officer of such person, or such officer as may be prescribed may, if he thinks fit, by warrant in the prescribed form, commit the said person for safe custody in a civil prison pending the execution of the sentence, and may similarly, by warrant in the prescribed form direct that the person so committed be re-delivered into Air Force custody, or that he be released or confined in accordance with any order duly made under this Act setting aside or varying the sentence of death.

Any such warrant shall be sufficient authority for the execution of the orders contained therein.

(2) A person sentenced under this Act to imprisonment or detention may, until he reaches the prison or detention barracks in which he is to undergo his sentence, be kept in Air Force custody or in Civil custody, or partly in one description of custody and partly in the other, and may, by order of such officer as may be prescribed, from time to time be transferred from one to the other, as occasion may require.

Section 169. Authority for committal and transfer of prisoners

A warrant issued in accordance with the provisions of section 165 or section 167, or an order of the prescribed officer for the transfer of a person undergoing a sentence of imprisonment or detention from one description of custody to another, shall be sufficient authority for the committal to prison, detention barrack or Air Force custody of such person or of his transfer from one description of custody to the other, as the case may be.

Section 170. Conveyance of prisoners from place to place

A person under sentence of imprisonment or detention may, during his conveyance from place to place, or when on board a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle be subjected to such restraint as is necessary for his safe conduct and removal.

Section 171. Communication of certain orders to prison officers

Whenever an order is duly made under this Act setting aside or varying any sentence, order or warrant under which any person is confined in a Civil, Military or Air Force prison or detained in a Military or Air Force detention barracks a warrant in accordance with such order shall be forwarded by the prescribed officer to the officer in charge of the prison or detention barracks in which such person is confined.

Such warrant shall be sufficient authority for the execution of the orders contained therein.

Section 172. Execution of sentence of fine

When a sentence of fine is imposed by a court-martial under section 71, whether the trial was held within Bangladesh or not, a copy of such sentence, signed and certified by the confirming officer may be sent to any magistrate in Bangladesh, and such magistrate shall thereupon cause the fine to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, for the levy of fines as if it were a sentence of fine imposed by such magistrate.

Section 173. Establishment and regulation of Air Force prisons or detention barracks

The Government may set apart any building or part of a building, or any place under its control, as an Air Force prison or detention barracks for the confinement of persons sentenced to imprisonment or detention under this Act.

Section 174. Power to make rules in respect of prisons and prisoners

The Government may make rules providing-

Section 175. Restriction of rule-making power in respect of corporal punishment

Rules made under section 174 shall not authorise corporal punishment to be inflicted for any offence, nor render the imprisonment more severe than it is under any law for the time being in force relating to Civil prisons in Bangladesh.

Section 176. Informality or error in the order or warrants

Whenever a person is sentenced to imprisonment or detention under this Act, and is undergoing the sentence in any place or manner in which he might be confined under a lawful order or warrant in pursuance of this Act, the confinement of such person shall not be deemed to be illegal only by reason of any informality or error in or as respects the order, warrant or other document, or the authority by which, or in pursuance whereof such person was brought into or is confined in any such place, and any such order, warrant or document may be amended accordingly.

Section 177. Pardon and remission

When any person subject to this Act has been convicted by a court-martial of any offence, the Government, the Chief of Air Staff, or any officer not below the rank of Group Captain empowered in this behalf by the Chief of Air Staff may:-

Provided that a sentence of imprisonment shall not be commuted for a sentence of detention for a term exceeding the term of imprisonment awarded by the court.

Section 178. Cancellation of conditional pardon or remission

If any condition on which a person has been pardoned or a punishment has been remitted is, in the opinion of the authority which granted the pardon or remitted the punishment, not fulfilled, such authority may cancel the pardon or remission, and thereupon the sentence of the court shall be carried into effect as if such pardon had not been granted or such punishment had not been remitted:

Provided that in the case of a person sentenced to imprisonment or detention such person shall undergo only the unexpired portion of his sentence.

Section 179. Reduction of non-commissioned officer

When under the provisions of section 79, a non-commissioned officer is deemed to be reduced to the ranks, such reduction shall, for the purposes of section 177 be treated as a punishment awarded by a sentence of a court-martial.

Section 180. Suspension of sentence of imprisonment or detention

(1) Where a person subject to this Act has been sentenced by a court-martial to imprisonment or detention, the Government, or the Chief of Air Staff, or any officer empowered to convene a general or field general court-martial may suspend the sentence whether or not the offender has already been committed, to prison or custody.

(2) The authority or officer specified in sub-section (1) may in the case of an offender so sentenced direct that, until the orders of such authority or officer have been obtained, the offender shall not be committed to prison or custody.

(3) The powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) may be exercised in the case of any such sentence which has been confirmed, mitigated or commuted.

Section 181. Orders pending suspension

A confirming officer may, when confirming any sentence referred to in section 180, direct that the offender be not committed to prison or to custody until the orders of the authority or officer specified in section 180 have been obtained.

Section 182. Release on suspension

When a sentence is suspended under section 180, the offender shall, whether he has been committed to prison or to custody or not, be released forthwith.

Section 183. Computation of period of suspension

Any period during which the sentence is under suspension shall be reckoned as part of the term of such sentence.

Section 184. Order after suspension

The authority or officer specified in section 180 may, at any time whilst a sentence is suspended, order-

Section 185. Reconsideration of case after suspension

(1) Where a sentence has been suspended, the case may at any time, and shall, at intervals of not more than four months, be reconsidered by the authority or officer specified in section 180, or by any Air or other officer not below the rank of squadron leader duly authorised by the authority or officer specified in section 180.

(2) Where on such reconsideration by the officer so authorised it appears to him that the conduct of the offender since his conviction has been such as to justify a remission of the sentence, he shall refer the matter to the authority or officer specified in section 180.

Section 186. Fresh sentence after suspension

Where an offender, while a sentence on him is suspended under this Act, is sentenced for any other offence, then-

Section 187. Scope of power of suspension

The powers conferred by sections 180 and 184 shall be in addition to and not in derogation of, the power of mitigation, remission and commutation.

Section 188. Effect of suspension and remission on dismissal

(1) Where in addition to any other sentence the punishment of dismissal has been awarded by a court-martial, and such other sentence is suspended under section 180, then, such dismissal shall not take effect until so ordered by the authority or officer specified in section 180.

(2) If such other sentence is remitted under section 184, the punishment of dismissal shall also be remitted.

Section 189. Property of deceased persons and deserters (other than officers and warrant officers)

The following provisions are enacted respecting the disposal of the property of every person subject to this Act, other than an officer or ⁴⁴master warrant officer or warrant officer, who dies or deserts:-

(1) The commanding officer of the unit or station to which the deceased person or deserter belonged or was attached shall secure all the movable property belonging to the deceased or deserter that is in camp or quarters, and cause an inventory thereof to be made, and draw any pay and allowances due to such person.

(2) In the case of a deceased person who has left in a bank (including any post office savings bank, co-operative bank or society or any other institution receiving deposits in money, however named) a deposit not exceeding one thousand Taka, the commanding officer may, if he thinks fit, require the agent, manager or other proper officer of such bank or other institution to pay the deposit to him forthwith; notwithstanding anything in any rules of the bank or the other institution and when any money has been paid by such bank or other institution in compliance with such requisition, no person shall have any claim against the bank or the other institution in respect of such money.

(3) In the case of a deceased person whose representative, widow or next of kin is on the spot and has given security for the payment of the service or other debts in camp or quarters, if any, of the deceased, the commanding officer shall deliver over any property, received under clause (1) and (2) to that representative, widow or next of kin, as the case may be, and shall not further interfere in relation to the property of the deceased.

(4) In the case of a deceased person whose estate is not dealt with under clause (3), and in the case of any deserter, the commanding officer shall cause the movable property to be sold by public auction, and may convert into money any cash certificates (including post office cash certificates, defence savings certificates and national savings certificates) and shall pay the service and other debts in camp or quarters, if any, and, in the case of a deceased person, the expenses of his funeral ceremonies, from the proceeds of the sale or conversion and from any pay and allowances drawn under clause (1) and from the amount of the deposit, if any, received under clause (2).

(5) The surplus, if any, shall, in the case of a deceased person, be paid to his representative, widow or next of kin, if any, or, in the event of no claim to such surplus being established within twelve months after the death, then the same shall be remitted to the prescribed person:

Provided that such remission shall not bar the claim of any person to such surplus or any part thereof.

(6) In the case of a deserter, the surplus, if any, shall be forthwith remitted to the prescribed person and shall, on the expiry of three years from the date of his desertion, be forfeited to the State, unless the deserter shall in the meantime have surrendered or been apprehended.

(7) The decision of the commanding officer as to what are the service and other debts in camp or quarters of a deceased person or a deserter and as to the amount payable therefore shall be final.

Section 190. Disposal of certain property without production of probate, etc. (other than officers and warrant officers)

Property deliverable and money payable to the representative, widow or next of kin, of a deceased person under section 189 may, if the total value or amount thereof does not exceed one thousand Taka, and if the prescribed person thinks fit, be delivered or paid to any person appearing to him to be entitled to receive it or to administer the estate of the deceased, without requiring the production of any probate, letters of administration, certificate or other such conclusive evidence of title; and such delivery or payment shall be a full discharge to those ordering or making the same and to the Government from all further liability in respect of the property or money; but nothing in this section shall affect the rights of any executor or administrator or other representative, or of any creditor of a deceased person against any person to whom such delivery or payment has been made.

Section 191. Application of sections 189 and 190 to lunatics, etc.

The provisions of sections 189 and 190 shall, so far as they can be made applicable, apply in the case of a person subject to this Act (not being an officer or ⁴⁵master warrant officer or warrant officer) who notwithstanding anything contained in the Lunacy Act, 1912, is ascertained in the prescribed manner to be insane, or, who being on active service, is officially reported missing, as if he had died on the day on which his insanity is so ascertained, or, as the case may be, on the day on which he is officially reported missing:

Provided that in the case of a person so reported missing, no action shall be taken under clauses (2) to (5) of section 189 until such time as he is officially presumed to be dead.

Section 192. Property of officers and warrant officers who die or desert

The provisions of sections 193 to 198 shall apply to the disposal of the property of the officers ⁴⁶, master warrant officers and warrant officers of the Air Force who die or desert.

Powers of Committee of Adjustment

⁴⁷193. (1) On the death or desertion of an officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer, a Committee of Adjustment appointed in this behalf in the manner prescribed (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) shall, as soon as may be, subject to the rules made in this behalf under this Act-

(2) In the case of a deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer whose representative, window or next of kin has given security to the satisfaction of the Committee for the payment of the service and other debts in camp or quarters, if any, of the deceased, the Committee shall deliver any property received by it under sub-section (1) to that representative, widow or next of kin, as the case may be, and shall not further interfere in relation to the property of the deceased.

(3) In the case of a deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer, the Committee, save as may be prescribed shall, if it appears to it necessary for the payment of service and other debts in camp or quarters and the expenses, if any, incurred by the Committee, and may, in any other case, collect all moneys left by the deceased in any bank (including any post office savings bank, co-operative bank or society or any other institution receiving deposits in money, however named) and for that purpose may require the agent, manager or other proper officer of such bank, society or other institution to pay the moneys to the Committee forthwith, and such agent, manager or other officer shall comply with the requisition notwithstanding anything in any rules of the bank or other institution; and when any money has been paid by a bank or other institution in compliance with the requisition under this sub-section, no person shall have a claim against the bank or other institution in respect of such money.

(4) In the case of a deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer whose estate has not been dealt with under sub-section (2) and in the case of a deserter the Committee, subject to any rules made in this behalf under this Act, shall, for the purpose of paying the service and other debts in camp or quarters, and may, in any other case, sell or convert into money the movable property of the deceased or deserter.

(5) The Committee shall, out of the moneys referred to in sub-sections (3) and (4), pay the service and other debts in camp or quarters, if any, of the deceased or deserter and in the case of a deceased, also the expenses of his last illness and funeral.

(6) In the case of a deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer, the surplus, if any, shall be remitted to the prescribed person.

(7) In the case of an officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer who is a deserter, the surplus, if any, shall be forthwith remitted to the prescribed person and shall, on the expiry of three years from the date of this desertion, be forfeited to the State unless the deserter shall in the meantime have surrendered or been apprehended:

Provided that the prescribed person may pay the whole or such part of the surplus as he may deem proper to the wife or children or other dependants of the officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer.

(8) If in any case a doubt or difference arises as to what are the service and other debts in camp or quarters of a deceased officer or deserter or as to the amount payable therefore, the decision of the prescribed person shall be final and shall be binding on all persons for all purposes.

(9) For the purposes of the exercise of its duties under this section, the Committee shall, to the exclusion of all authorities and persons whomsoever, have the same rights and powers as if it had taken out representation to the deceased, and any receipt given by the Committee shall have effect accordingly.

Section 194. Disposal of surplus by the prescribed person

On receipt of the surplus referred to in sub-section (6) of section 193 the prescribed person shall proceed as follows:-

(1) If he knows of a representative, widow or next of kin of the deceased, he shall pay the surplus to that representative, widow or next of kin.

(2) If he does not know of any such representative, widow or next of kin, he shall publish every year a notice in the prescribed form and manner for six consecutive years. If no claim to the surplus is made by a representative, widow or next of kin of the deceased within six months after the publication of last of such notices, the prescribed person shall deposit the surplus together with any income or accumulation of income accrued therefrom to the credit of the Government:

Provided that such deposit shall not bar the claim of any person to such surplus or any part thereof.

Section 195. Disposal of certain property without production of probate, etc. (of officers and warrant officers)

Property deliverable and money payable to the representative, widow or next of kin of a deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer under section 193 or section 194 may, if the total amount or value thereof does not exceed five thousand Taka, and, if the prescribed person thinks fit, be delivered or paid to any person appearing to him to be entitled to receive it or to administer the estate of the deceased, without requiring the production of any probate, letters of administration, succession certificate or other such conclusive evidence of title.

Section 196. Discharge of Committee, prescribed person and the Government

Any payment of money or delivery, application, sale or other disposition of any property or money made, or purported to be made by the Committee or the prescribed person in good faith in pursuance of section 193, section 194 or section 195 shall be valid and shall be a full discharge to the Committee or the prescribed person, as the case may be, and to the Government from all further liability in respect of that money or property; but nothing herein contained shall affect the right of any executor or administrator or other representative, or of any creditor of the deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer against any person to whom such payment or delivery has been made.

Section 197. Property in the hands of the Committee or the prescribed person not to be assets at the place where the Committee or the prescribed person is stationed

Any property coming under section 193 into the hands of the Committee or the prescribed person shall not, by reason of so coming, be deemed to be assets or effects at the place in which that Committee or the prescribed person is stationed and it shall not be necessary by reason thereof that representation be taken out in respect of that property for that place.

Section 198. Saving of rights of representative

After the Committee has deposited with the prescribed person the surplus of the property of any deceased officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer under sub-section (6) of section 193, any representative of the deceased shall, as regards any property of the deceased not collected by the Committee and not forming part of the aforesaid surplus, have the same rights and duties as if section 193 had not been enacted.

Section 199. Application of sections 193 to 198 to lunatics, etc.

The provisions of sections 193 to 198 shall, so far as they can be made applicable, apply in the case of an officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer who, notwithstanding anything contained in the Lunacy Act, 1912, is ascertained in the prescribed manner to be insane, or, who, being on active service, is officially reported missing, as if he had died on the day on which his insanity is so ascertained or, as the case may be, on the day on which he is officially reported missing:

Provided that in the case of an officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer so reported missing no action shall be taken under sub-sections (2) to (5) of section 193 until such time as he is officially presumed to be dead.

Section 200. Appointment of Standing Committee of Adjustment when officers die or desert while on active service

When an officer or master warrant officer or warrant officer dies or deserts while on active service, the references in the foregoing provisions of this Chapter to the Committee shall be construed as references to the Standing Committee of Adjustment, if any, appointed in this behalf in the manner prescribed.

Section 201. Interpretations

For the purposes of this Chapter-

(1) a person shall be deemed to be a deserter if he without authority has been absent from duty for a period of thirty days and has not subsequently surrendered or been apprehended;

(2) the expression “service and other debts in camp or quarters” includes money due as Air Force debts, namely, sums due in respect of, or any advance in respect of-

(3) “representation” includes probate and letters of administration with or without the will annexed, and a succession certificate, constituting a person the executor or administrator of the estate of a deceased person or authorising him to receive or realise the assets of a deceased person;

(4) “representative” means any person who has taken out representation.

Section 202. Power to make rules

(1) The Government may make rules for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred by sub-section (1), such rules may provide for:-

(3) All rules made under this Act shall be published in the official Gazette and, on such publication, shall have effect as if enacted in this Act.

Section 203. Power to make regulations

The Government may make regulations for all or any of the purposes of this Act, other than those specified in section 202.

Section 204. [Omitted.]

[Repeal.- Omitted by section 6(z) of প্রতিরক্ষা কর্মবিভাগ (কতিপয় আইন সংশোধন) আইন, ২০১৬ (২০১৬ সনের ১৫ নং আইন)। ]

Section 205. [Omitted.]

[Definitions.- Omitted by section 6(z) of প্রতিরক্ষা কর্মবিভাগ (কতিপয় আইন সংশোধন) আইন, ২০১৬ (২০১৬ সনের ১৫ নং আইন)।]

Section 206. [Omitted.]

[Powers of British Officers.- Omitted by section 6(z) of প্রতিরক্ষা কর্মবিভাগ (কতিপয় আইন সংশোধন) আইন, ২০১৬ (২০১৬ সনের ১৫ নং আইন)।]