Exhibit 3.2



                                     BYLAWS

                                       OF

                              CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.


                                    ARTICLE I

                                   MAIN OFFICE

     The main office of Central Bancorp,  Inc. (the  "Corporation")  shall be in
Somerville,  Massachusetts, or such other location as the Board of Directors may
designate, subject to applicable law.


                                   ARTICLE II

                                  STOCKHOLDERS

     SECTION 1.  ANNUAL  MEETING.  The Annual  Meeting of the  stockholders  for
elections  and other  purposes  shall be held within six months after the end of
the Corporation's fiscal year at such date, time and place as fixed by the Board
of Directors,  the Chairman of the Board or the President,  consistent  with the
requirements of Massachusetts  law. The purposes for which the Annual Meeting is
to be  held,  in  addition  to  those  prescribed  by law,  by the  Articles  of
Organization or by these Bylaws, may be specified by the Board of Directors, the
Chairman of the Board or the President.

     SECTION 2. SPECIAL  MEETINGS.  Special  meetings of the stockholders may be
called only as provided in the Corporation's Articles of Organization.

     SECTION 3. NOTICE OF MEETINGS.  A written  notice of all annual and special
meetings of  stockholders  stating  the place,  date and hour and the purpose or
purposes of such meeting shall be given by the Clerk or an Assistant  Clerk, the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary (or other person authorized by these Bylaws)
at least  seven days  before the  meeting to each  stockholder  entitled to vote
thereat and to each  stockholder who, by law, under the Articles of Organization
or under these Bylaws,  is entitled to such notice, by delivering such notice to
him or by mailing it, postage prepaid,  and addressed to such stockholder at his
address as it  appears  on the stock  transfer  books of the  Corporation.  Such
notice  shall be deemed to be delivered  when hand  delivered to such address or
deposited in the mail so addressed, with postage prepaid.

     When any stockholders' meeting,  either annual or special, is adjourned for
30 days or more,  notice of the adjourned  meeting shall be given as in the case
of an original meeting. It shall not be necessary to give any notice of the time
and place of any meeting  adjourned  for less than 30 days or of the business to
be transacted  thereat,  other than an announcement at the meeting at which such
adjournment is taken.

     SECTION 4.  QUORUM.  The  holders of a majority  in  interest  of all stock
issued,  outstanding,  and entitled to vote,  represented in person or by proxy,
shall  constitute  a quorum at a  meeting  of  stockholders.  If a quorum is not
present,  a lesser  number may  adjourn  the  meeting  from time to time and the
meeting may be held as  adjourned  without  further  notice.  At such  adjourned
meeting at which a quorum shall be present or  represented,  any business may be
transacted  which  might  have been  transacted  at the  meeting  as  originally
noticed.  The stockholders  present at a duly organized  meeting may continue to
transact business until  adjournment,  notwithstanding  the withdrawal of enough
stockholders to leave less than a quorum.

                                        1
<PAGE>

     SECTION 5. VOTING AND  PROXIES.  Stockholders  shall have one vote for each
share of stock  entitled to vote owned by them of record  according to the books
of the  Corporation,  and a proportionate  vote for a fractional  share,  unless
otherwise  provided by law or by the Articles of Organization.  Stockholders may
vote either in person or by written  proxy dated not more than six months before
the meeting named therein. Proxies shall be filed with the clerk or secretary of
the meeting,  or of any  adjournment  thereof,  before  being  voted.  Except as
otherwise limited therein,  proxies shall entitle the persons authorized thereby
to vote at any  adjournment  of such meeting,  but they shall not be valid after
final  adjournment  of such  meeting.  A proxy with respect to stock held in the
name of two or more persons  shall be valid if executed by one of them unless at
or prior to exercise of the proxy the  Corporation  receives a specific  written
notice to the contrary  from any one of them. A proxy  purporting to be executed
by or on behalf of a stockholder  shall be deemed valid unless  challenged at or
prior to its exercise,  and the burden of proving  invalidity  shall rest on the
challenger.

     SECTION 6. ACTION AT MEETING.  When a quorum is present,  any matter before
the meeting  shall be decided by vote of the holders of a majority of the shares
of stock voting on such  matter,  except where a larger vote is required by law,
by the Articles of Organization or by these Bylaws. Any election by stockholders
shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast, except where a larger vote
is required  by law, by the  Articles of  Organization  or by these  Bylaws.  No
action may be taken on the  nomination of a director  unless the  procedures set
forth in the Articles of  Organization  have been complied with. The Corporation
shall not  directly  or  indirectly  vote any share of its own  stock,  provided
however,  that no  provision  of these  Bylaws  shall be  construed to limit the
voting  rights and powers  relating  to shares of stock held  pursuant to a plan
which is intended to be an "employee stock ownership plan" as defined in section
409A of the Internal Revenue Code, as now or hereafter in effect.

                                   ARTICLE III

                                    DIRECTORS

     SECTION 1. POWERS.  The business  and affairs of the  Corporation  shall be
managed  by a  Board  of  Directors  who may  exercise  all  the  powers  of the
Corporation except as otherwise provided by law, by the Articles of Organization
or by these Bylaws.

     SECTION  2.  NUMBER,  TERM  AND  ELECTION.  The  Board of  Directors  shall
initially  consist of eight  members and shall be divided into three  classes as
nearly equal in number as possible.  The Board of Directors  shall be classified
in accordance with the provisions of the Corporation's Articles of Organization.
At each annual meeting of  stockholders,  the successors to the directors of the
class whose term shall expire in that year shall be elected to hold office for a
term  expiring  at the  annual  meeting of  stockholders  held in the third year
following the year of their election and until their  respective  successors are
elected and  qualified.  The Board of  Directors  may  increase or decrease  the
number of members of the Board of Directors by a vote of at least  two-thirds of
the board members then in office,  provided the total number of directors on the
board may not be more than 21 nor less than 7.

     SECTION 3.  QUALIFICATION.  Each director shall have such qualifications as
are required by  applicable  law. In  addition,  at least  three-fourths  of the
directors shall be citizens of the United States of America and residents of the
Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts.  Each  director  shall own, free of any lien or
encumbrance,  in his own  right  or  through  a  company  in  which  he holds an
ownership  interest  of at  least  seventy-five  percent,  common  stock  of the
Corporation,  having a par value or a fair  market  value on the date the person
became a director,  of not less than one  thousand  dollars.  Any  director  who
ceases to be the owner of the required number of shares of stock, or who becomes
in any other  manner  disqualified,  shall  vacate  his office  forthwith.  Each
director,  when appointed or elected, shall take an oath that he will faithfully
perform the duties of his office and that he is the owner,  in his own right and
free of any  lien or  encumbrance,  of the  amount  of  stock  required  by this
section. The oath shall be taken before a notary public or justice of the

                                        2
<PAGE>

peace, who is not an officer of the Corporation,  and a record of the oath shall
be made a part of the records of the Corporation.

     SECTION 4. REGULAR  MEETINGS.  A regular  meeting of the Board of Directors
shall be held  without  other  notice  than this  Bylaw at the same place as the
annual  meeting of  stockholders,  or the special  meeting held in lieu thereof,
following such meeting of stockholders.  The Board of Directors may provide,  by
resolution, the time and place for the holding of regular meetings without other
notice than such resolution.

     SECTION 5. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may
be called by or at the request of the Chairman of the Board, the President, or a
majority of the directors.  The persons  authorized to call special  meetings of
the Board of Directors may fix the place for holding any special  meeting of the
Board of Directors called by such persons.

     SECTION 6. NOTICE.  Notice of any special meeting of the Board of Directors
shall  be  given to each  director  in  person  or by  telephone  or sent to his
business or home address by telegram at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting
or by written notice mailed to his business or home address at least 48 hours in
advance  of such  meeting.  Such  notice  shall be deemed to be  delivered  when
deposited in the mail so addressed,  with postage thereon prepaid if mailed,  or
when  delivered to the telegraph  company if sent by telegram.  Any director may
waive notice of any meeting by a writing  filed with the records of the meeting.
The attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of
such meeting, except where

                                        3
<PAGE>

a  director  attends a meeting  for the  express  purpose  of  objecting  to the
transaction  of any  business  because  the  meeting is not  lawfully  called or
converted.  Neither the  business to be  transacted  at, nor the purpose of, any
meeting of the Board of  Directors  need be specified in the notice or waiver of
notice of such meeting.

     SECTION 7.  QUORUM.  A majority of the number of  directors  then in office
shall  constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the
Board of Directors,  but if less than such  majority is present at a meeting,  a
majority of the  directors  present  may adjourn the meeting  from time to time.
When any Board of Directors'  meeting either regular or special is adjourned for
30 days or more,  notice of the adjourned  meeting shall be given as in the case
of an original meeting. It shall not be necessary to give any notice of the time
and place of any meeting  adjourned  for less than 30 days or of the business to
be transacted  thereat,  other than an announcement at the meeting at which such
adjournment is taken.

     SECTION  8.  MANNER OF ACTING.  The act of the  majority  of the  directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present  shall be the act of the Board
of Directors,  unless a greater  number is  prescribed by governing  law, by the
Articles of Organization or these Bylaws.

     SECTION 9. ACTION BY CONSENT.  Any action required or permitted to be taken
by the Board of  Directors  at a  meeting  may be taken  without a meeting  if a
consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all of
the  directors  and such  consents are filed with the records of the meetings of
directors.

     SECTION 10.  RESIGNATION.  Any director may resign at any time by sending a
written  notice  of such  resignation  to the  main  office  of the  Corporation
addressed  to the  Chairman  of the  Board or the  President.  Unless  otherwise
specified  therein,  such resignation  shall take effect upon receipt thereof by
the Chairman of the Board or the President.

     SECTION  11.  REMOVALS.  A director  may be  removed  from  office  only as
provided in the Articles of Organization.

     SECTION 12. VACANCIES. Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors as a
result of  resignation,  removal or death may be filled in  accordance  with the
provisions of the Articles of Organization.

     SECTION 13.  COMPENSATION.  The members of the Board of  Directors  and the
members  of  either   standing  or  special   committees  may  be  allowed  such
compensation as the Board of Directors may determine.

     SECTION 14.  PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT.  A director of the  Corporation  who is
present  at a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors  at  which  action  on any
Corporation  matter is taken shall be  presumed  to have  assented to the action
taken unless his or her dissent or abstention shall be entered in the minutes of
the meeting or unless he or she shall file a written dissent to such action with
the person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof
or shall forward such dissent by  registered  mail to the Clerk or the Secretary
of the Corporation  within five days after the date a copy of the minutes of the
meeting is  received.  Such right to dissent  shall not apply to a director  who
voted in favor of such action.

     SECTION 15. COMMITTEES.  The Board of Directors, by a vote of a majority of
the  directors  then in office,  may elect from its number,  not less than three
members in each case to serve as an Executive Committee, a Security Committee, a
Finance Committee,  a Nominating  Committee or other committees and may delegate
thereto some or all of its powers  except those which by law, by the Articles of
Organization,  or by these Bylaws may not be  delegated.  Except as the Board of
Directors may  otherwise  determine,  any such  committee may make rules for the
conduct of its business, but unless otherwise provided by the Board of Directors
or in such rules, its business shall be conducted so far as possible in the same
manner as is provided by these Bylaws for the Board of Directors. All members of
such  committees  shall  hold  such  offices  at the  pleasure  of the  Board of
Directors.  The Board of Directors  may abolish any such  committee at any time,
subject to any applicable requirements of law. Any committee to which the

                                        4
<PAGE>

Board of Directors  delegates  any of its powers or duties shall keep records of
its meetings and shall report its action to the Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors  shall have power to rescind any action of any committee,  but no such
rescission  shall  have  retroactive  effect.  In the  case  of  the  Nominating
Committee,  which shall be established for the purpose of making nominations for
election to the Board of  Directors,  such  committee  shall consist of at least
three members.  The committee  shall deliver its nominations to the Clerk or the
Secretary of the Corporation at least 30 days in advance of the meeting at which
elections are to be held.

     SECTION 16. MANNER OF PARTICIPATION.  Members of the Board of Directors may
participate  in  meetings  of the  Board of  Directors  by  means of  conference
telephone or similar communications equipment by which all persons participating
in the meeting can hear each other.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                                    OFFICERS

     SECTION 1. ENUMERATION.  The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a
Chairman  of the  Board,  a  President,  a  Treasurer,  a Clerk,  and such other
officers,  including  Vice Chairmen of the Board,  Vice  Presidents or Assistant
Vice  Presidents,   Assistant  Treasurers,  Assistant  Clerks,  a  Secretary  or
Assistant Secretaries, as the Board of Directors may determine.

     SECTION 2. ELECTION. The officers shall be elected annually by the Board of
Directors at their first meeting  following the annual meeting of  stockholders.
Other  officers may be chosen by the Board of Directors at such first meeting of
the Board of Directors or at any other meeting.

     SECTION 3. QUALIFICATION. No officer need be a stockholder. Any two or more
offices  may  be  held  by  any  person.  The  Clerk  shall  be  a  resident  of
Massachusetts  unless the  Corporation  has a resident  agent  appointed for the
purpose of service of  process.  Any  officer  may be  required  by the Board of
Directors to give bond for the faithful performance of his duties in such amount
and with such sureties as the Board of Directors may determine.

     SECTION 4. TENURE.  Except as otherwise provided by law, by the Articles of
Organization or by these Bylaws,  all officers shall hold office until the first
meeting  of the  Board  of  Directors  following  the  next  annual  meeting  of
stockholders and until their respective successors are chosen and qualified. Any
officer may resign by delivering his written  resignation to the  Corporation at
its main office addressed to the Chairman of the Board, the President,  Clerk or
Secretary,  and such  resignation  shall be effective  upon receipt unless it is
specified to be effective at some other time or upon the happening of some other
event.  Election or  appointment  of an officer,  employee or agent shall not of
itself  create  contract  rights.  The  Board of  Directors  may  authorize  the
Corporation to enter into an employment  contract with any officer in accordance
with  governing law or  regulation,  but no such contract right shall impair the
right of the Board of Directors to remove any officer at any time in  accordance
with Section 5 of this Article IV.

     SECTION 5.  REMOVAL.  The Board of  Directors  may remove any officer  with
cause by a two-thirds  vote of the entire  number of  directors  then in office.
Such removal shall be without  prejudice to the contract rights,  if any, of the
persons  involved.  An officer  may be removed  for cause only after  reasonable
notice and opportunity to be heard by the Board of Directors.

     SECTION  6.  VACANCIES.  Any  vacancy  in any  office may be filled for the
unexpired portion of the term by the Board of Directors.

     SECTION 7. CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD. The Board of Directors may annually elect
a Chairman of the Board. Unless the Board of Directors  otherwise provides,  the
Chairman  of the Board  shall  preside,  when  present,  at all  meetings of the
stockholders and the Board of Directors.

                                        5
<PAGE>

     SECTION 8. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.  Unless otherwise provided by the Board
of Directors, the Chairman of the Board shall be the chief executive officer and
shall,  subject  to the  direction  of the  Board  of  Directors,  have  general
supervision and control of the Corporation's business.

     SECTION 9.  PRESIDENT AND VICE  PRESIDENTS.  The President  shall have such
powers and shall  perform such duties as the Board of Directors may from time to
time  designate.  Unless  otherwise  provided by the Board of Directors he shall
preside,  when  present,  at all  meetings of  stockholders  and of the Board of
Directors if the Chairman of the Board does not attend such meetings.  The Board
shall  rank the Vice  Presidents,  if there be more than one,  and may give them
such additional designations as it may determine. In the event of the absence or
disability of the President,  the ranking Vice  President  shall have all of the
powers and perform all of the duties of the President.

     SECTION 10.  TREASURER  AND  ASSISTANT  TREASURERS.  The  Treasurer  shall,
subject to the  direction of the Board of Directors  have general  charge of the
financial  affairs of the  Corporation and shall cause to be kept accurate books
of  account.  He shall  have  custody  of all funds,  securities,  and  valuable
documents of the  Corporation,  except as the Board of Directors  may  otherwise
provide.

     Any Assistant  Treasurer  shall have such powers and perform such duties as
the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

     SECTION 11. CLERK AND ASSISTANT CLERK. The Clerk shall keep a record of the
meeting of  stockholders.  In case a Secretary is not elected or is absent,  the
Clerk or an Assistant  Clerk shall keep a record of the meetings of the Board of
Directors.  In the  absence of the Clerk from any  meeting of  stockholders,  an
Assistant Clerk, if one be elected, shall perform the duties of the Clerk.

     SECTION 12. SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.  The Secretary,  if one be
elected,  shall keep a record of the meetings of the Board of Directors.  In the
absence of the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary,  the Clerk or any Assistant
Clerk , a Temporary  Secretary  shall be designated  by the person  presiding at
such meeting to perform the duties of the Secretary.

     SECTION 13. OTHER POWERS AND DUTIES.  Subject to these Bylaws, each officer
of the Corporation shall have in addition to the duties and powers  specifically
set forth in applicable  law and in these Bylaws,  such duties and powers as may
be designated  from time to time by the Board of Directors.  The President shall
have the authority to appoint additional  officers of the Corporation other than
those enumerated herein.

                                    ARTICLE V

                                  CAPITAL STOCK

     SECTION 1.  CERTIFICATES OF STOCK.  Each stockholder shall be entitled to a
certificate  of the capital  stock of the  Corporation  in such form as may from
time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors.  Such certificate shall be
signed by the President or a Vice President and by the Treasurer or an Assistant
Treasurer.  Such  signatures may be facsimile if the  certificate is signed by a
transfer agent, or by a registrar, other than a director, officer or employee of
the Corporation. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature
has been placed on such certificate  shall have ceased to be such officer before
such  certificate is issued,  it may be issued by the Corporation  with the same
effect as if he were such officer at the time of its issue.

     SECTION 2. TRANSFERS.  Subject to any  restrictions on transfer,  shares of
stock may be transferred on the books of the Corporation by the surrender to the
Corporation or its transfer agent of the certificate  therefor properly endorsed
or accompanied by a written  assignment and power of attorney properly executed,
with  transfer  stamps  (if  necessary)  affixed,  and  with  such  proof of the
authenticity  of  signature  as  the  Corporation  or  its  transfer  agent  may
reasonably require.

                                        6
<PAGE>

     SECTION 3. RECORD HOLDERS.  Except as may be otherwise  required by law, by
the  Articles of  Organization  or by these  Bylaws,  the  Corporation  shall be
entitled to treat the record  holder of stock as shown on its books as the owner
of such stock for all purposes, including the payment of dividends and the right
to vote  with  respect  thereto,  regardless  of any  transfer,  pledge or other
disposition of such stock,  until the shares have been  transferred on the books
of the Corporation in accordance with the requirements of these Bylaws.

     It shall be the duty of each  stockholder to notify the  Corporation of his
postal address.

     SECTION 4. RECORD DATE. The Board of Directors may fix in advance a time of
not more than 60 days preceding the date of any meeting of stockholders,  or the
date for the  payment  of any  dividend  or the  making of any  distribution  to
stockholders,  or the last day on which the  consent or dissent of  stockholders
may be effectively expressed for any purpose, as the record date for determining
the stockholders  having the right to notice of and to vote at such meeting,  or
the right to receive  such  dividend or  distribution  or the right to give such
consent or dissent. In such case only stockholders of record on such record date
shall have such right, notwithstanding any transfer of stock on the books of the
Corporation after the record date.  Without fixing such record date the Board of
Directors may for any of such purposes  close the transfer  books for all or any
part of such period.

     If no record date is fixed and the transfer  books are not closed,  (a) the
record  date for  determining  stockholders  having the right to notice of or to
vote at a meeting of  stockholders  shall be at the close of business on the day
next  preceding  the day on which  notice is given,  and (b) the record date for
determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business
on the day on which the Board of Directors acts with respect thereto.

     SECTION  5.  REPLACEMENT  OF  CERTIFICATES.  In case of the  alleged  loss,
destruction or mutilation of a certificate of stock, a duplicate certificate may
be  issued  in  place   thereof,   upon  such   terms,   including   appropriate
indemnification of the Corporation, as the Board of Directors may prescribe.

     SECTION 6. ISSUANCE OF CAPITAL STOCK. The Board of Directors shall have the
authority  to issue or reserve for issue from time to time the whole or any part
of the capital stock of the  Corporation  which may be  authorized  from time to
time,  to such  persons  or  organizations,  and on such  terms as the  Board of
Directors may determine,  including without  limitation the granting of options,
warrants, or conversion or other rights to subscribe to said capital stock.

     SECTION  7.   DIVIDENDS.   Subject  to  applicable  law,  the  Articles  of
Organization  and these  Bylaws,  the Board of  Directors  may from time to time
declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on the outstanding shares of its
capital stock. Such dividends may be in the form of cash, property or stock.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                            MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SECTION 1. FISCAL  YEAR.  Except as  otherwise  determined  by the Board of
Directors,  the fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the twelve months ending
March 31st. The Corporation shall be subject to an annual audit as of the end of
its fiscal year by independent accountants appointed by the Board of Directors.

     SECTION 2. SEAL. The Board of Directors shall have power to adopt and alter
the seal of the Corporation.

     SECTION  3.  EXECUTION  OF  INSTRUMENTS.   All  deeds,  leases,  transfers,
contracts,  bonds,  notes  and  other  obligations  to be  entered  into  by the
Corporation  in the ordinary  course of its business  without Board of Directors
action may be executed on behalf of the Corporation by the Chairman of the

                                        7
<PAGE>

Board,  President,  Treasurer  or any other  officer,  employee  or agent of the
Corporation as the Board of Directors may authorize.

     SECTION 4. INDEMNIFICATION. Directors and officers of the Corporation shall
be entitled to indemnification as provided in the Articles of Organization.

     SECTION 5. VOTING OF SECURITIES.  Unless otherwise provided by the Board of
Directors,  the Chairman of the Board,  the  President  or  Treasurer  may waive
notice of and act on behalf of the  Corporation,  or appoint  another  person or
persons to act as proxy or attorney in fact for the Corporation  with or without
discretionary   power  and/or  power  of   substitutions,   at  any  meeting  of
stockholders or shareholders of any other organization,  any of whose securities
are held by the Corporation.

     SECTION 6.  RESIDENT  AGENT.  The Board of Directors may appoint a resident
agent upon whom legal process may be served in any action or proceeding  against
the  Corporation.  Said resident  agent shall be either an  individual  who is a
resident  of and has a  business  address  in  Massachusetts,  or a  corporation
organized  under  the law of any other  state of the  United  States,  which has
qualified to do business in, and has an office in, Massachusetts.

     SECTION 7. CORPORATE  RECORDS.  The original,  or attested  copies,  of the
Articles of  Organization,  Bylaws and records of all meetings of the  directors
and stockholders,  and the stock and transfer  records,  which shall contain the
names of all  stockholders  and the record  address  and amount of stock held by
each, shall be kept in  Massachusetts at the main office of the Corporation,  or
at an office of its transfer agent, Secretary or resident agent.

     SECTION 8. ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION.  All references in these Bylaws to the
Articles  of  Organization   shall  be  deemed  to  refer  to  the  Articles  of
Organization of the Corporation, as in effect from time to time.

     SECTION 9. AMENDMENTS.  These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed as
provided in the Articles of Organization.

                                        8