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                                                                    EXHIBIT 31.1

        RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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                                  CERTIFICATION

I, David F. Holland, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the
Board, certify that:


(1)   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of BostonFed Bancorp,
      Inc.;


(2)   Based on my knowledge, the annual report does not contain any untrue
      statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
      make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
      statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
      this annual report;

(3)   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
      information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
      respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
      the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual
      report;

(4)   The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
      establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
      defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we
      have:

      (a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
            material information relating to the registrant, including its
            consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
            those entities, particularly during the period in which this annual
            report is being prepared;

      (b)   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
            and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date
            of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

      (c)   presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
            effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our
            evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

(5)   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
      our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit
      committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the
      equivalent function):

      (a)   all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of the
            internal controls which could adversely affect the registrant's
            ability to record process, summarize and report financial data and
            have identified for the registrant's auditors any material
            weaknesses in internal controls; and

      (b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
            other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
            internal controls; and

(6)   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
      annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
      controls or in other factors that could significantly affect the internal
      controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including
      any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and
      material weaknesses.


Date:  March 15, 2004
                                          /s/ David F. Holland
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          David F. Holland
                                          President, Chief Executive Officer and
                                            Chairman of the Board