Do I need a lawyer to swear an Affidavit?

No, but the Affidavit must be sworn before a First-Class Judicial Magistrate or a Notary Public — you cannot self-attest it. Most lawyers include the swearing step as part of drafting an affidavit for you; if you draft it yourself using a template, you still have to visit the Magistrate's court or a notary to swear it, and there is a small fee.

What is the difference between a General and a Special Power of Attorney?

A General Power of Attorney authorises the agent to act broadly on your behalf across a whole class of matters (e.g. 'manage all my property in Dhaka'). A Special Power of Attorney authorises them to do one specific act (e.g. 'execute the sale deed for plot X on my behalf'). Land-related powers, and any power of attorney that will be used to transfer immovable property in Bangladesh, need registration and often carry statutory-format requirements — take specific legal advice before executing one.

Legal & Court-Related

Court-related and legal instruments — Vokalatnama (engaging a lawyer), Powers of Attorney (general and special), Affidavits, Compromise / Settlement Deeds (Aposhnamah), Arbitration agreements, Indemnity Bonds — are the mechanical building-blocks of civil practice in Bangladesh. Their common feature is that they exist to authorise, evidence, or settle something that will otherwise happen inside the court system, and their format is largely dictated by the specific statute or court rule governing that step. Get the format wrong and the court can (and does) refuse to accept the document. Get it right and the legal process moves.

Stamp & registrationStamp: most of these instruments run on the specific non-judicial stamp value the Stamp Act prescribes for that type of document (a Vokalatnama, an ordinary affidavit, a power of attorney, and a settlement deed each have their own denominations). Affidavits must be sworn before a First-Class Magistrate or a Notary Public. Powers of attorney executed by an expatriate abroad need consularisation before use in Bangladesh. Because each of these documents is dictated by a specific procedural rule, do not rely on a generic template — take the exact format from the court, tribunal or registration office where it will be used.

Contract types in this category

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer to swear an Affidavit?: No, but the Affidavit must be sworn before a First-Class Judicial Magistrate or a Notary Public — you cannot self-attest it. Most lawyers include the swearing step as part of drafting an affidavit for you; if you draft it yourself using a template, you still have to visit the Magistrate's court or a notary to swear it, and there is a small fee.
What is the difference between a General and a Special Power of Attorney?: A General Power of Attorney authorises the agent to act broadly on your behalf across a whole class of matters (e.g. 'manage all my property in Dhaka'). A Special Power of Attorney authorises them to do one specific act (e.g. 'execute the sale deed for plot X on my behalf'). Land-related powers, and any power of attorney that will be used to transfer immovable property in Bangladesh, need registration and often carry statutory-format requirements — take specific legal advice before executing one.

Legal & Court-Related

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer to swear an Affidavit?: No, but the Affidavit must be sworn before a First-Class Judicial Magistrate or a Notary Public — you cannot self-attest it. Most lawyers include the swearing step as part of drafting an affidavit for you; if you draft it yourself using a template, you still have to visit the Magistrate's court or a notary to swear it, and there is a small fee.
What is the difference between a General and a Special Power of Attorney?: A General Power of Attorney authorises the agent to act broadly on your behalf across a whole class of matters (e.g. 'manage all my property in Dhaka'). A Special Power of Attorney authorises them to do one specific act (e.g. 'execute the sale deed for plot X on my behalf'). Land-related powers, and any power of attorney that will be used to transfer immovable property in Bangladesh, need registration and often carry statutory-format requirements — take specific legal advice before executing one.