A document acknowledging the shipment of a consignor’s goods for carriage by sea. Bill of lading includes a “through bill of lading”, but does not include a mate’s receipt. ….. [Section 2(4) of the Stamp Act 1899 (Act II of 1899)]
The bill of lading is a document of title to the goods and may as such be transferred to a third party who makes it subject to everything that appearsthereon. It is therefore, both transferable and negotia¬ble. Usually as between carrier and shipper, the con¬tract is contained in the charter party and the bill of lading is not evidence of the contract but only a re¬ceipt for the goods and at the same time it is also a document which enables the shipper to transfer the goods to a consignee. Therefore, apart from the re¬ceipt, the bill of lading in such case is also a docu¬ment of title. ….. [Abu Bakr Siddique vs. M. V. Aghia Thalassini (1978)30 DLR 94.]
See, The Bills of Lading Act 1856 (Act No. IX of 1856) See, Samsun Shipping Corporation vs. Hossain and Sons and Others (1995) 47 DLR (AD) 31; section 1 of the Bill of Lading Act, 1856; section 2(4) of the Stamp Act, 1899.