This Act may be cited as the Republic of Bangladesh Act 1972.

Subject to section 3 of this Act, this Act shall be deemed to have come into force on the 18th day of April 1972.

All existing law—that is to say, all law which, whether it is a rule of law or a provision of an Act of any Parliament or a provision of any other enactment or instrument whatsoever, has come into force or has been passed or made before the 18th day of April 1972—shall, until provision to the contrary is made by the authority having power to alter that law, have the same operation in relation to Bangladesh, and to persons and things in any way belonging to or connected with Bangladesh, as it would have if Bangladesh were not a Republic.

During the period that commenced on the 31st day of January 1972 and ended with the commencement of this Act, all law—that is to say, all law which, whether it was a rule of law or a provision of an Act of any Parliament or a provision of any other enactment or instrument whatsoever, was during that period in force—shall be deemed to have had the same operation in relation to Bangladesh, and to persons and things in any way belonging to or connected with Bangladesh, as it would have had if Bangladesh had not been a Republic and had been a member of the Commonwealth.

Sections 2 and 3 of this Act extend to the law of, or of any part of, New Zealand or of any of the territories referred to in section 5 of this Act.

This Act shall be in force in the following territories:

The First Schedule to the Niue Act 1966 is hereby amended by adding the following words: