The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

1. PreamblePreamble

Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. Section 1Short title
2. Section 1AApplication of the Act
3. Section 2[Repealed]Repealed
4. Section 3Interpretation-clause.

Chapter II OF NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES

1. Section 4“Promissory note”
2. Section 5“Bill of exchange”
3. Section 6“Cheque”
4. Section 7“Drawer” “Drawee” “Drawee in case of need” “Acceptor” “Acceptor for honour” “Payee”
5. Section 9“Holder in due course”
6. Section 10“Payment in due course”
7. Section 11Inland instrument
8. Section 12Foreign instrument
9. Section 13“Negotiable instrument”
10. Section 14Negotiation
11. Section 15Indorsement
12. Section 16Indorsement “in blank” and “in full” “Indorsee”
13. Section 17Ambiguous instruments
14. Section 18Where amount is stated differently in figures and words
15. Section 19Instruments payable on demand.
16. Section 20Inchoate stamped instruments
17. Section 21“At sight” “On presentment” “After sight”
18. Section 21AWhen note or bill payable on demand is overdue
19. Section 21BA note or bill payable at a determinable future time
20. Section 21CAnti-dating and post-dating
21. Section 22“Maturity” Days of grace
22. Section 23Calculating maturity of bill or note payable so many months after date or sight
23. Section 24Calculating maturity of bill or note payable so many days after date or sight
24. Section 25When day of maturity is a holiday

Chapter III PARTIES TO NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES

1. Section 26Capacity to make, etc., promissory notes, etc.
2. Section 27Agency
3. Section 27AAuthority of partner
4. Section 28Liability of agent signing
5. Section 28ATransferor by delivery and transferee
6. Section 29Liability of legal representative signing
7. Section 29ASignature essential to liability
8. Section 29BForged or unauthorised signature
9. Section 29CStranger signing instrument presumed to be indorser
10. Section 30Liability of drawer
11. Section 31Liability of drawee of cheque
12. Section 32Liability of maker of note and acceptor of bill
13. Section 33Only drawee can be acceptor except in need or for honour
14. Section 34Acceptance by several drawees not partners
15. Section 35Liability of indorser
16. Section 36Liability of prior parties to holder in due course
17. Section 37Maker, drawer and accept or principals
18. Section 38Prior party a principal in respect of each subsequent party
19. Section 38ALiability of accommodation party and position of accommodation party
20. Section 39Suretyship
21. Section 40Discharge of indorser’s liability
22. Section 41Acceptor bound although indorsement forged
23. Section 42Acceptance of bill drawn in fictitious name
24. Section 43Negotiable instrument made, etc., without consideration
25. Section 44Partial absence or failure of money-consideration
26. Section 45Partial failure of consideration not consisting of money
27. Section 45AHolder’s right to duplicate of lost bill

Part IV · OF NEGOTIATION

1. Section 46Delivery
2. Section 47Negotiation by delivery
3. Section 48Negotiation by indorsement
4. Section 49Conversion of indorsement in blank into indorsement in full
5. Section 50Effect of indorsement
6. Section 51Who may negotiate
7. Section 52Indorser who excludes his own liability or makes it conditional
8. Section 53Holder claiming through holder in due course
9. Section 53ARights of holder in due course
10. Section 54Instrument indorsed in blank
11. Section 55Conversion of indorsement in blank into indorsement in full
12. Section 56Requisites of indorsement
13. Section 57Legal representative cannot by delivery only negotiate instrument indorsed by deceased
14. Section 57ANegotiation of instrument of party already liable thereon
15. Section 57BRights of holder
16. Section 58Defective title
17. Section 59Instrument acquired after dishonour or when overdue
18. Section 60Instrument negotiable till payment or satisfaction

Part IV · Chapter V OF PRESENTMENT

1. Section 61Presentment for acceptance
2. Section 62Presentment of promissory note for sight
3. Section 63Drawee’s time for deliberation
4. Section 64Presentment for payment
5. Section 65Hours for presentment
6. Section 66Presentment for payment of instrument payable after date or sight
7. Section 67Presentment for payment of promissory note payable by instalments
8. Section 68Presentment for payment of instrument payable at specified place and not elsewhere
9. Section 69Instrument payable at specified place
10. Section 70Presentment where no exclusive place specified
11. Section 71Presentment when maker, etc., has no known place of business or residence
12. Section 71AWhat constitutes valid presentment and mode of presentment
13. Section 72Presentment of cheque to charge drawer
14. Section 73Presentment of cheque to charge any other person
15. Section 74Presentment of instrument payable on demand
16. Section 75Presentment by or to agent, representative of deceased, or assignee of insolvent
17. Section 75AExcuse for delay in presentment for acceptance or payment
18. Section 76When presentment unnecessary
19. Section 77Liability of banker for negligently dealing with bill presented for payment

Part IV · Chapter VI OF PAYMENT AND INTEREST

1. Section 78To whom payment should be made
2. Section 79Interest when rate specified or not specified
3. Section 80Interest when no rate specified
4. Section 81Delivery of instrument on payment, or indemnity in case of loss

Part IV · Chapter VII OF DISCHARGE FROM LIABILITY ON NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES

1. Section 82Discharge from liability-
2. Section 83Discharge by allowing drawee more than forty-eight hours to accept
3. Section 84When cheque not duly presented and drawer damaged thereby
4. Section 85Cheque payable to order
5. Section 85ADrafts drawn by one branch of a bank on another payable to order
6. Section 86Parties not consenting discharged by qualified or limited acceptance
7. Section 87Effect of material alteration
8. Section 88Acceptor or indorser bound notwithstanding previous alteration
9. Section 89Payment of instrument on which alteration is not apparent
10. Section 90Extinguishment of rights of action on bill in acceptor’s hands

Part IV · Chapter VIII OF NOTICE OF DISHONOUR

1. Section 91Dishonour by non-acceptance
2. Section 92Dishonour by non-payment
3. Section 93By and to whom notice should be given
4. Section 94Mode in which notice may be given
5. Section 95Party receiving must transmit notice of dishonour
6. Section 96Agent for presentment
7. Section 97When party to whom notice given is dead
8. Section 98When notice of dishonour is unnecessary

Part IV · Chapter IX OF NOTING AND PROTEST

1. Section 99Noting
2. Section 100Protest
3. Section 101Contents of protest
4. Section 102Notice of protest
5. Section 103Protest for non-payment after dishonour by non-acceptance
6. Section 104Protest of foreign bills
7. Section 104AWhen noting equivalent to protest

Part IV · Chapter X OF REASONABLE TIME

1. Section 105Reasonable time
2. Section 106Reasonable time of giving notice of dishonour
3. Section 107Reasonable time for transmitting such notice

Part IV · Chapter XI OF ACCEPTANCE AND PAYMENT FOR HONOUR AND REFERENCE IN CASE OF NEED

1. Section 108Acceptance for honour
2. Section 109How acceptance for honour must be made
3. Section 110Acceptance not specifying for whose honour it is made
4. Section 111Liability of acceptor for honour
5. Section 112When acceptor for honour may be charged
6. Section 113Payment for honour
7. Section 114Right of payer for honour
8. Section 115Drawee in case of need
9. Section 116Acceptance and payment without protest

Part IV · Chapter XII OF COMPENSATION

1. Section 117Rules as to compensation

Part IV · Chapter XIII SPECIAL RULES OF EVIDENCE

1. Section 118Presumptions as to negotiable instruments- (a) of consideration; (b) as to date; (c) as to time of acceptance; (d) as to time of transfer; (e) as to order of indorsements; (f) as to stamp; (g) that holder is a h
2. Section 119Presumption on proof of protest
3. Section 120Estoppel against denying original validity of instrument
4. Section 121Estoppel against denying capacity of payee to indorse
5. Section 122Estoppel against denying signature or capacity of prior party

Part IV · Chapter XIV SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO CHEQUES

1. Section 122ARevocation of Banker’s authority
2. Section 123Cheque crossed generally
3. Section 123ACheque crossed “account- payee”
4. Section 124Cheque crossed specially
5. Section 125A125A Crossing a material part of a cheque
6. Section 126Payment of cheque crossed generally
7. Section 127Payment of cheque crossed specially more than once.
8. Section 128Payment in due course of crossed cheque
9. Section 129Payment of crossed cheque out of due course
10. Section 130Cheque bearing “not negotiable”
11. Section 131AApplication of Chapter to drafts
12. Section 131BProtection to banker crediting cheque crossed “account- payee”
13. Section 131CCheque not operating as assignment of funds

Part IV · Chapter XV SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO BILLS OF EXCHANGE

1. Section 131DSeveral drawees
2. Section 131EIn whose favour a bill may be drawn
3. Section 131FWhen presentment for acceptance is necessary
4. Section 131HHolder’s right of recourse against drawn and indorsers
5. Section 131GWhen presentment excused
6. Section 132Set of bills
7. Section 133Holder of first acquired part entitled to all

Part IV · Chapter XVI OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

1. Section 134Law governing liability of parties to a foreign instrument
2. Section 135[Omitted]Repealed
3. Section 136Instrument made, etc., outside Bangladesh, but in accordance with their law
4. Section 137Presumption as to foreign law

Part IV · Chapter XVII ON PENALTIES IN CASE OF DISHONOUR OF CERTAIN CHEQUES FOR INSUFFICIENCY OF FUNDS IN THE ACCOUNT

1. Section 138Dishonour of cheque for insufficiency, etc. of funds in the account
2. Section 138ARestriction in respect of appeal
3. Section 139[Omitted]Repealed
4. Section 140Offences of Companies
5. Section 141Cognizance of offences