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General Clauses Act, 1897

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The General Clauses Act, 1897 is a consolidating and interpretative statute that provides standard definitions, rules of construction, and general principles applicable to all Bangladesh Acts and Ordinances, unless a particular enactment expressly provides otherwise. It applies to all central Acts and Regulations enacted after its commencement and to all Ordinances, providing uniform rules for the interpretation of legislation. The Act defines key terms commonly used in legislation, such as "Government", "person", "public servant", "immovable property", "movable property", "oath", "sign", "document", and "offence" (Section 3). Key mechanisms include rules for the commencement and repeal of enactments (Sections 5-6A), provisions for the exercise of powers and the performance of duties by public authorities (Sections 13-19), rules for the computation of time, and provisions regarding the effect of repeals. Notable provisions include the rule that where an Act confers a power to make appointments, the appointing authority also has the power to suspend, dismiss, remove, or take disciplinary action (Section 14); the rule that powers conferred on the government may be exercised by authorised officers (Section 13); and the provision that where a power to make rules is conferred, that power includes the power to amend or repeal rules (Section 20). Section 6 of the Act provides the critical saving provision on the effect of repeal, preserving rights, privileges, obligations, and liabilities accrued under the repealed enactment unless a contrary intention appears. The Act remains in force and is fundamental to statutory interpretation in Bangladesh.

Full text · showing key sections

§ 1Short title

This Act may be called the
General Clauses Act, 1897
.

§ 2[Repealed]

[Repealed by the Repealing and Amending Act, 1903 (Act No. I of 1903), section 4 and Schedule III.]

§ 3Definitions

In this Act, and in all
1
[other Acts of Parliament] and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-

(1)"abet", with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall have the same meaning as in the
2
[***] Penal Code:
3
[(1a) "Act of Parliament" shall mean an Act passed by Parliament and shall include any Act passed or made by any legislature or any person having authority to legislate under any Constitutional instrument and in force in Bangladesh or any portion thereof:]

(2)"act", used with reference to an offence or a civil wrong, shall include a series of acts, and words which refer to acts done extend also to illegal omissions:
4
[(2a) "Advocate" means a person enrolled as such under the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972 (P. O. No. 46 of 1972):]

(3)"affidavit" shall include affirmation and declaration in the case of persons by law allowed to affirm or declare instead of swearing:
5
[(3a) "Appellate Division" means-
(a) as respects the period before the 16th day of December, 1972, the Appellate Division of the High Court of Bangladesh; and
(b) as respects any period thereafter the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh constituted under the Constitution:]
6
[* * *]
7
[* * *]
8
[(8aa) "Bangladesh Law" shall mean any Act, Ordinance, Regulation, rule, Order or bye-law in force in Bangladesh:]
9
[* * *]

(9)"Chapter" shall mean a Chapter of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs:
10
[(9a) "Chief Revenue Authority" shall mean the National Board of Revenue constituted under the
National Board of Revenue Order, 1972
(P. O. No. 76 of 1972:]
11
[(9aa) "Chittagong Metropolitan Area" means the Chittagong Metropolitan Area as defined in the
Chittagong Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1978
(Ord. XLVIII of 1978):]

(10)"Collector" shall mean the chief officer in charge of the revenue administration of a District and shall include a Deputy Commissioner, of such District:
12
[* * *]

(12)"commencement", used with reference to an Act or Regulation, shall mean the day on which the Act or Regulation comes into force:

(13)"Commissioner" shall mean the chief officer in charge of the revenue-administration of a division and shall include an Additional Commissioner of such division:
13
[(13a) "Constitution" means the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh:]

(14)"Consular officer" shall include consul-general, consul, vice-consul, consular agent, pro-consul and any person for the time being authorized to perform the duties of consul-general, consul, vice-consul or consular agent:
14
[(14a) "Dhaka Metropolitan Area" means the Dacca Metropolitan Area as defined in the Dacca Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1976 (Ord. III of 1976):]

(15)"District Judge" shall mean the Judge of a principal Civil Court of original jurisdiction, but shall not include
15
[the High Court Division] in the exercise of its ordinary or extraordinary original civil jurisdiction:

(16)"document" shall include any matter written, expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks, or by more than one of those means which is intended to be used, or which may be used, for the purpose of recording that matter:
16
[* * *]

(17)"enactment" shall include a Regulation (as hereinafter defined)
17
[* * *] and shall also include any provision contained in any Act or in any such Regulation as aforesaid:

(18)"father", in the case of any one whose personal law permits adoption, shall include an adoptive father:
18
[(19) "financial year" shall mean the year commencing
on the first day of July and ending on the 30th day of June:]

(20)a thing shall be deemed to be done in "good faith" where it is in fact done honestly, whether it is done negligently or no:
19
[(21) "Government" or "the Government" shall mean-
(a) in relation to anything done before the 26th day of March 1971, any Government which functioned within the territories now comprised in Bangladesh; and
(b) in relation to anything done or to be done after the 25th day of March, 1971, the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh:]
20
[(21a) "Government contracts" and equivalent expressions shall include contracts made in the exercise of the executive authority of the People's Republic of Bangladesh:

(21b)"Government debts" and equivalent expressions shall include debts due to the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and any debt due to any Government that functioned within the territories now comprised in Bangladesh:

(21c)"Government Grants" shall include a grant (including a transfer of land or of any interest therein or a payment of any money) made by or on behalf of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and before the 26th day of March, 1971, by or on behalf of any Government that functioned within the territories now comprised in Bangladesh:

(21d)"Government liabilities" and equivalent expressions shall include the liabilities of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and only such liabilities incurred by any other Government that at any time functioned in the territories now comprised in Bangladesh, as have been expressly accepted by the People's Republic of Bangladesh:

(21e)"Government Property" and equivalent expressions shall include any property vested in, or otherwise held for the purposes of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh and property which, before the 26th day of March, 1971, vested in any Government that functioned within the territories now comprised in Bangladesh:

(22)"Government securities" shall mean securities of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangla-desh:]

(23)[Repealed by section 3 and Schedule II of the Repealing and Amending Act, 1919 (Act No. XVIII of 1919).]
21
[(24) "High Court" shall, as respect any period before the 16th day of December, 1972, mean the High Court of Bangladesh and as respect any period before the 26th day of March, 1971, the High Court that functioned within the territories now comprised in Bangladesh:]
22
[(24a) "High Court Division" shall mean the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh constituted under the Constitution:]

(25)"immoveable property" shall include land, benefits to arise out of land, and things attached to the earth, or permanently fastened to anything attached to the earth:

(26)"imprisonment" shall mean imprisonment of either description as defined in the
23
[* * *] Penal Code:
24
[(26a) "Khulna Metropolitan Area" means the Khulna Metropolitan Area as defined in the
Khulna Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1985
(Act No. LII of 1985):]
25
[* * *]
26
[(28) "Local authority" shall mean and include a Paura Shava, Zilla Board, Union Panchayet, Board of Trustees of a port or other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by the Government with, the control or management of a municipal or local fund, or any corporation or other body or authority constituted or established by the Government under any law:]

(31)"Magistrate" shall include every person exercising all or any of the powers of a Magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure for the time being in force:

(32)"master", used with reference to a ship, shall mean any person (except a pilot or harbour-master) having for the time being control or charge of the ship:
27
[(32a) “Metropolitan Area” means any area declared As Metropolitan Area under any Act;]

(33)"month" shall mean a month reckoned according to the British calendar:

(34)"moveable property" shall mean property of every description, except immoveable property:
28
[* * *]

(36)"oath" shall include affirmation and declaration in the case of persons by law allowed to affirm or declare instead of swearing:

(37)"offence" shall mean any act or omission made punishable by any law for the time being in force:
29
[(37a) "Official Gazette" or "Gazette" shall mean the Bangladesh Gazette:

(37b)"Parliament" shall mean the Parliament for Bangladesh, known as the House of the Nation:]

(38)"Part" shall mean a Part of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs:

(39)"person" shall include any company or association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not:
30
[(39a) “Police Commissioner” means the Police Commissioner appointed under any Act for any metropolitan area, and also includes an Additional Police Commissioner, a Joint Police Commissioner, a Deputy Police Commissioner, an Additional Deputy Police Commissioner, a Senior Assistant Police Commissioner and an Assistant Police Commissioner;]
31
[* * *]

(44)"Public nuisance" shall mean a public nuisance as defined in the
32
[* * *] Penal Code:
33
[* * *]
34
[(44b) "the President" means the President of Bangladesh elected under the Constitution or any person for the time being acting in that office: ]

(45)"registered", used with reference to a document, shall mean registered in
35
[* * *] under the law for the time being in force for the registration of documents:
36
[(46) "Regulation" shall mean a Regulation made by any person or authority empowered under any constitutional instrument and in force in Bangladesh:]
37
[(46a) "the Republic" means the People's Republic of Bangladesh:]

(47)"rule" shall mean a rule made in exercise of a power conferred by any enactment, and shall include a regulation made as a rule under any enactment:

(48)"schedule" shall mean a schedule to the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs:
38
[* * *]

(50)"section" shall mean a section of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs:
39
[(50a) "the service of the Republic" means any service, post or office whether in a civil or military capacity, in respect of the Government of Bangladesh, and any other service declared by law to be a service of the Republic:]

(51)"ship" shall include every description of vessel used in navigation not exclusively propelled by oars:

(52)"sign", with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall, with reference to a person who is unable to write his name, include "mark", with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions:
40
[* * *]

(53)"son" in the case of any one whose personal law permits adoption, shall include an adopted son:

(54)"sub-section" shall mean a sub-section of the section in which the word occurs:
41
[(54a) "suits by or against the Government" and equivalent expressions shall include suits by or against Bangladesh:]

(55)"swear", with its grammatical variation and cognate expressions, shall include affirming and declaring in the case of persons by law allowed to affirm or declare instead of swearing:
42
[* * *]:

(56)"vessel" shall include any ship or boat or any other description of vessel used in navigation:

(57)"will" shall include a codicil and every writing making a voluntary posthumous disposition of property:

(58)expressions referring to "writing" shall be construed as including references to printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form: and

(59)"year" shall mean a year reckoned according to the British calendar.

§ 4Application of foregoing definitions to previous enactments

(1)The definitions in section 3 of the following words and expressions, that is to say, "affidavit",
1
[advocate], "District Judge", "father", "immoveable property", "imprisonment", "Magistrate", "month", "moveable property", "oath", "person", "section", "son", "swear", "will" and "year" apply also, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] made after the third day of January, 1868, and to all Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

(2)The definitions in the said section of the following words and expressions, that is to say, "abet", "Chapter", "commencement", "financial year", "local authority", "master", "offence", "part", "public nuisance", "registered", "schedule", "ship", "sign", "sub-section" and "writing" apply also, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, to all
3
[Acts of Parliament] and Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 4AApplication of certain definitions to all Bangladesh laws

1
[4A. (1) The definitions in section 3 of the expressions
2
[* * *]
3
[Act of Parliament]
4
[* * *] "Chief Revenue Authority", "Gazette", "Government", "Government contracts", "Government debts", "Government grants", "Government liabilities", "Government property", "Government securities", "High Court",
5
[High Court Division"]
6
[* * *], "official Gazette",
7
[Bangladesh laws]
8
[* * *] and "suits by or against Government" apply also, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, to all
9
[Bangladesh laws].

(2)In any
10
[Bangladesh law], references to the
11
[Government] in any provision conferring power to make appointments to the civil services of, or civil posts under, the
12
[Government] include references to such person as the
13
[Government] may direct, and in any provision conferring power to make rules prescribing the conditions of service of persons serving the
14
[Government] in a civil capacity include references to any person authorized by the
15
[Government] to make rules for the purpose.

(3)The references in any
16
[Bangladesh law] to servants of or under, or to service of or under,
17
[the Government], to property of, or belonging to, or vested in, the
18
[Government], and to forfeitures to
19
[the Government] shall be construed as references respectively to persons in the service of the
20
[Government], to the service of the Government, to property vested in the Government and to forfeitures to the Government.]

§ 5Coming into operation of enactments

1
[(1) Where any Act of Parliament is not expressed to come into operation on any particular day, then it shall come into operation,–(a) in the case of an Act of Parliament to which this Act was applicable before the 26th day of March, 1971, on the date on which it receives the assent; and
(b) in the case of any other Act of Parliament, the day on which the assent is first published in the official Gazette;]

(2)2
[Omitted by the Central Laws Order, 1961, Article 2 and Schedule.]

(3)Unless the contrary is expressed, [an Act of Parliament] or Regulation shall be construed as coming into operation immediately on the expiration of the day preceding its commencement.

§ 5A[Omitted]

[Omitted by the Schedule of the Pakistan (Adaptation of Existing Pakistan Laws) Order, 1947 (Governor General's Order 20 of 1947).]

§ 6Effect of repeal

Where this Act, or any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, repeals any enactment hitherto made or hereafter to be made, then, unless a different intention appears, the repeal shall not-
(a) revive anything not in force or existing at the time at which the repeal takes effect; or
(b) affect the previous operation of any enactment so repealed or anything duly done or suffered thereunder; or
(c) affect any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired, accrued or incurred under any enactment so repealed; or
(d) affect any penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred in respect of any offence committed against any enactment so repealed; or
(e) affect any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy in respect of any such right, privilege, obligation, liability, penalty, forfeiture or punishment as aforesaid;
and any such investigation, legal proceeding or remedy may be instituted, continued or enforced, and any such penalty, forfeiture or punishment may be imposed as if the repealing Act or Regulation had not been passed.

§ 6ARepeal of Act making textual amendment in Act or Regulation

Where any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act repeals any enactment by which the text of any
2
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation was amended by the express omission, insertion or substitution of any matter, then, unless a different intention appears, the repeal shall not affect the continuance of any such amendment made by the enactment so repealed and inoperation at the time of such repeal.

§ 7Revival of repealed enactments

(1)In any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, it shall be necessary, for the purpose of reviving, either wholly or partially, any enactment wholly or partially repealed, expressly to state that purpose.

(2)This section applies also to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] made after the third day of January, 1868, and to all Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 8Construction of references to repealed enactments

(1)Where this Act, or any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, repeals and re-enacts, with or without modification, any provision of a former enactment, then references in any other enactment or in any instrument to the provision so repealed shall, unless a different intention appears, be construed as references to the provision so re-enacted.

(2)[Omitted by Article 9 of the General Clauses (Amendment) Order, 1972 (President's Order No. 147 of 1972).]

§ 9Commencement and termination of time

(1)In any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, it shall be sufficient, for the purpose of excluding the first in a series of days or any other period of time, to use the word "from", and, for the purpose of including the last in a series of days or any other period of time, to use the word "to".

(2)This section applies also to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] made after the third day of January, 1868, and to all Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 10Computation of time

(1)Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, any act or proceeding is directed or allowed to be done or taken in any Court or office on a certain day or within a prescribed period, then, if the Court or office is closed on that day or the last day of the prescribed period, the act or proceeding shall be considered as done or taken in due time if it is done or taken on the next day afterwards on which the Court or office is open:

Provided thatnothing in this section shall apply to any act or proceeding to which the
2
[* * *] Limitation Act, 1877, applies.

(2)This section applies also to all
3
[Acts of Parliament] and Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 11Measurement of distances

In the measurement of any distance, for the purposes of any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, that distance shall, unless a different intention appears, be measured in a straight line on a horizontal plane.

§ 12Duty to be taken pro rata in enactments

Where, by any enactment now in force or hereafter to be in force, any duty of customs or excise, or in the nature thereof, is leviable on any given quantity, by weight, measure or value of any goods or merchandize, then a like duty is leviable according to the same rate on any greater or less quantity.

§ 13Gender and number

In all
1
[Acts of Parliament] and Regulations, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context,-

(1)words importing the masculine gender shall be taken to include females; and

(2)words in the singular shall include the plural, and vice versa.

§ 13A[Omitted]

[Omitted by the Central Laws Order, 1961, Article 2 and Schedule.]

§ 14Powers conferred to be exercisable from time to time

(1)Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, any power is conferred then, unless a different intention appears, that power may be exercised from time to time as occasion requires.

(2)This section applies also to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] and Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 15Power to appoint to include power to appoint ex-officio

Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation, a power to appoint any person to fill any office or execute any function is conferred, then, unless it is otherwise expressly provided, any such appointment, if it is made after the commencement of this Act, may be made either by name or by virtue of office.

§ 16Power to appoint to include power to suspend or dismiss

Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation, a power to make any appointment is conferred, then unless a different intention appears, the authority having for the time being power to make the appointment shall also have power to suspend or dismiss any person appointed whether by itself of any other authority in exercise of that power.

§ 17Substitution of functionaries

(1)In any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, it shall be sufficient, for the purpose of indicating the application of a law to every person or number of persons for the time being executing the functions of an office, to mention the official title of the officer at present executing the functions, or that of the officer by whom the functions are commonly executed.

(2)This section applies also to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] made after the third day of January, 1868, and to all Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 18Successors

(1)In any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, it shall be sufficient, for the purpose of indicating the relation of a law to the successors of any functionaries or of corporations having perpetual succession, to express its relation to the functionaries or corporations.

(2)This section applies also to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] made after the third day of January, 1868, and to all Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 19Official chiefs and subordinates

(1)In any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, it shall be sufficient, for
the purpose of expressing that a law relative to the chief or superior of an office shall apply to the deputies or subordinates lawfully performing the duties of that office in the place of their superior, to prescribe the duty of the superior.

(2)This section applies also to all
2
[Acts of Parliament] made after the third day of January, 1868, and to all Regulations made on or after the fourteenth day of January, 1887.

§ 20Construction of orders, etc., issued under enactments

Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation, a power to issue any notification, order, scheme, rule, form or bye-law is conferred, then expressions used in the notification, order, scheme, rule, form or bye-law, if it is made after the commencement of this Act, shall, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, have the same respective meanings as in the Act or Regulation conferring the power.

§ 21Power to make to include power to add to, amend, vary or rescind, orders, rules or bye-laws

Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation, a power to issue notifications, orders, rules, or bye-laws is conferred, then that power includes a power, exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like sanction and conditions (if any), to add to, amend, vary or rescind any notifications, orders, rules or bye-laws so issued.

§ 22Making of rules or bye-laws and issuing of orders between passing and commencement of enactment

Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation which is not to come into force immediately on the passing
thereof, a power is conferred to make rules or bye-laws, or to issue orders with respect to the application of the Act or Regulation, or with respect to the establishment of any Court or office or the appointment of any Judge or officer thereunder, or with respect to the person by whom, or the time when, or the place where, or the manner in which, or the fees for which, anything is to be done under the Act or Regulation, then that power may be exercised at any time after the passing of the Act or Regulation; but rules, bye-laws or orders so made or issued shall not take effect till the commencement of the Act or Regulation.

§ 23Provisions applicable to making of rules or bye-laws after previous publication

Where, by any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation,
a power to make rules or bye-laws is expressed to be given subject to the condition of the rules or bye-laws being made after previous publication, then the following provisions shall apply, namely:-

(1)the authority having power to make the rules or bye-laws shall, before making them, publish a draft of the proposed rules or bye-laws for the information of persons likely to be affected thereby;

(2)the publication shall be made in such manner as that authority deems to be sufficient, or, if the condition with respect to previous publication so requires, in such manner as the
2
[Government] prescribes;

(3)there shall be published with the draft a notice specifying a date on or after which the draft will be taken into consideration;.

(4)the authority having power to make the rules or bye-laws, and, where the rules or bye-laws are to be made with the sanction, approval or concurrence of another authority, that authority also, shall consider any objection or suggestion which may be received by the authority having power to make the rules or bye-laws from any person with respect to the draft before the date so specified;

(5)the publication in the official Gazette of a rule or bye-law purporting to have been made in exercise of a power to make rules or bye-laws after previous publication shall be conclusive proof that the rule or bye-law has been duly made.

§ 24Continuation of orders, etc., issued under enactments repealed and re-enacted

Where any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation is, after the commencement of this Act, repealed and re-enacted with or without modification, then, unless it is otherwise expressly provided, any appointment, notification, order, scheme, rule, form or bye-law made or issued under the repealed Act or Regulation, shall, so far as it is not inconsistent with the provisions re-enacted, continue in force, and be deemed to have been made or issued under the provisions so re-enacted, unless and until it is superseded by any appointment, notification], order, scheme, rule, form or bye-law made or issued under the provisions so re-enacted
2
[* * *].

§ 25Recovery of fines

Sections 63 to 70 of the
1
[* * *] Penal Code and the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure for the time being in force in relation to the issue and the execution of warrants forthe levy of fines shall apply to all fines imposed under any Act, Regulation, rule or bye-law unless the Act, Regulation, rule or bye-law contains an express provision to the contrary.

§ 26Provision as to offences punishable under two or more enactments

Where an act or omission constitutes an offence under two or more enactments, then the offender shall be liable to be prosecuted and punished under either or any of those enactments, but shall not be liable to be punished twice for the same offence.

§ 27Meaning of service by post

Where any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act authorizes or requires any document to be served by post, whether the expression "serve" or either of the expressions "give" or "send" or any other expression is used, then, unless a different intention appears, the service shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre-paying and posting by registered post, a letter containing the document, and, unless the contrary is proved, to have been effected at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.

§ 28Citation of enactments

(1)In any
1
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation, and in any rule, bye-law, instrument or document, made under, or with reference to, any such Act or Regulation, any enactment may be cited by reference to the
2
[short title or Bengali translation thereof] conferred thereon or by reference to the number and year thereof, and any provision in an enactment may be cited by reference to the section or sub-section of the enactment in which the provision is contained. (2) In this Act and in any
3
[Act of Parliament] or Regulation made after the commencement of this Act, a description or citation of a portion of another enactment shall, unless a different intention appears, be construed as including the word, section or other part mentioned or referred to as forming the beginning and as forming the end of the portion comprised in the description or citation.

§ 29Saving for previous enactments, rules and bye-laws

The provisions of this Act respecting the construction of Acts, Regulations, rules or bye-laws made after the commencement of this Act shall not affect the construction of any Act, Regulation, rule or bye-law made before the commencement of this Act, although the Act, Regulation, rule or bye-law is continued or amended by an Act, Regulation, rule or bye-law made after the commencement of this Act.

§ 30Application of Act to Ordinances

In this Act the expression
1
[Act of Parliament] wherever it occurs, except in section 5, and the word "Act" in clauses (9), (12), (38), (48) and (50) of section 3 and in section 25 shall be deemed to include an Ordinance made and promulgated by
2
[any person having authority to legislate under any constitutional provision or by the President of Bangladesh under the Constitution].

§ 30A[Repealed]

[Repealed by the Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937.]

§ 31Application of Act to Orders made by the President

1
[31. The provisions of this Act shall apply for the interpretation of any Order made by the President or acting President of Bangladesh, and for the interpretation of any Presidential Order made before the 26th day of March, 1971, and in force in Bangladesh, as they apply for the interpretation of an Act of Parliament, as if any such Order were an Act of Parliament.].