An FIR, or First Information Report, is the formal recording by police of information relating to a cognizable offence. Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 requires oral information to be written down, read back to the informant, signed by the informant and entered in the prescribed police record.
An FIR begins the criminal investigation process. It is not evidence that the named accused is guilty, and it does not require police to arrest every person mentioned in the complaint.
The governing law
Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure governs information relating to cognizable offences. When such information is given orally to the officer in charge of a police station, it must be reduced to writing by that officer or under the officer’s direction. It must then be read over to the informant, signed by the person giving it and entered in the prescribed record.
The expression “FIR” is widely used in legal and police practice, although section 154 itself refers to information relating to the commission of a cognizable offence.
Under section 4 of the Code, a cognizable offence is an offence for which a police officer may arrest without warrant under Schedule II of the Code or another law in force. The classification depends on the current Schedule II or the special statute creating the offence.
Who may provide the information?
Section 154 does not state that only the victim may give the information. A witness, relative or another person with relevant knowledge may report the suspected offence.
However, the informant should distinguish personal knowledge from information received from someone else. The complaint should not present assumptions, rumours or conclusions as observed facts.
The police may later take statements from the victim, witnesses and other relevant persons during investigation. The original informant does not automatically become the only or most important prosecution witness.
What information should an FIR contain?
The complaint should identify the incident clearly enough for the police to understand what offence may have occurred. It should ordinarily state the date, approximate time and place of the incident, the acts complained of, the identity or description of the suspected persons if known, the nature of any injury or loss and the names of known witnesses.
Where documents, photographs, messages, medical records, transaction records or video evidence exist, the informant should identify them and preserve the originals. A complaint should not be delayed simply because every supporting document has not yet been collected, particularly where immediate protection or preservation of evidence is necessary.
The informant should avoid exaggerating the number of accused persons or inserting names merely because of family, political, commercial or property disputes. A knowingly false accusation may create separate criminal and procedural consequences.
Where should the complaint be submitted?
The practical starting point is usually the police station connected with the place where the offence occurred. Questions of investigation and trial jurisdiction depend on the location of the act, its consequences and any special statutory rule. Section 177 provides the general rule that an offence is ordinarily inquired into and tried by the court within whose local jurisdiction it was committed.
The current Code does not contain an express nationwide provision called “Zero FIR.” That term should not be imported from another jurisdiction and presented as settled Bangladeshi procedure.
Where more than one area is involved, the complainant should provide the complete facts and seek written guidance rather than allowing the complaint to be passed informally between police stations without a record.
Can an FIR be filed online?
Bangladesh Police operates an Online GD portal through which complaints may be submitted electronically. The official portal states that if the complaint is suitable for a General Diary, the user may receive a digital GD copy. If the complaint concerns a case-worthy cognizable offence, the complainant is instructed to attend the police station with the printed complaint or complaint code.
The Online GD portal should therefore not be described as a complete nationwide online FIR system. A digital complaint may alert police and create a traceable record, but formal compliance with section 154 may still require attendance, signature and further verification.
What happens after the FIR?
Section 156 allows the officer in charge of a police station to investigate a cognizable case without first obtaining an order from a Magistrate. Section 157 requires the police, where there is reason to suspect the commission of an offence that they are empowered to investigate, to send the prescribed report to the competent Magistrate and proceed with the investigation.
Investigation may include visiting the scene, examining witnesses, collecting documents, obtaining medical or forensic evidence, conducting searches under lawful authority and identifying potential suspects.
An FIR does not require immediate arrest. Under the amended section 54, police must separately establish the statutory grounds and necessity for arrest. For many offences punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years, the officer must record why arrest is necessary or, where arrest is not required, record the reasons for not making an arrest.
The current investigation timeline
Section 173B, inserted through the 2026 amendment, provides that an investigation under the relevant chapter should ordinarily be completed within sixty working days from receipt of the information concerning the offence.
If the investigation cannot be completed within that period, the investigating officer must record the reasons in the case diary and apply to the Magistrate for additional time on specific grounds. The Magistrate may grant a reasonable extension. The expiry of sixty working days does not automatically terminate the case or acquit an accused person.
Section 173A also permits an interim investigation report. Where the available evidence is insufficient against a particular accused person, the Magistrate or tribunal may discharge that person on the basis of the interim report. Such discharge does not prevent later inclusion if substantive evidence is subsequently discovered.
Reporting an offence from abroad
A non-resident Bangladeshi may prepare a detailed signed complaint and send it to the relevant police station, directly or through a trusted representative or advocate. However, delivery by a representative does not necessarily remove the need for the informant or victim to confirm the facts, sign the formal record or provide a statement.
No universal rule should be stated that a power of attorney holder can replace the informant for every purpose under section 154. The police may need to communicate directly with the person who has first-hand knowledge.
The complainant should retain proof of delivery, copies of all attachments, the online complaint code if used and the name and designation of the receiving officer.
Relevant authorities
The officer in charge of the relevant police station is the primary authority under section 154. Investigation is conducted by the assigned investigating officer under police supervision and the Code.
The competent Judicial Magistrate supervises important stages of the process, including remand, bail, investigation reports and cognizance. The Sessions Court or a special tribunal may later try the case depending on the offence.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes include treating an FIR as proof of guilt, adding unsupported allegations, withholding inconvenient facts and failing to preserve the original electronic or documentary evidence.
Another mistake is assuming that every online complaint automatically becomes an FIR. The official portal expressly distinguishes a GD-worthy complaint from a cognizable case that requires further attendance at the police station.
See also the related Ain.bd articles General Diary and FIR: What Is the Legal Difference? and What Can You Do If Police Refuse to Record an FIR?
Law updated as of 13 July 2026.
Primary sources: Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, sections 4, 154, 156, 157, 173, 173A, 173B and 177; Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2026, Act No. XI of 2026; Schedule II to the Code; Bangladesh Police Online GD portal.
Legal-information disclaimer: This article provides general legal information, not legal advice. Criminal reporting, jurisdiction and evidentiary requirements depend on the particular offence and facts. Consult a licensed Bangladeshi advocate about a specific complaint.