Exhibit 1(q)

                     MERRILL LYNCH MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.

                              ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT

      MERRILL LYNCH MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the
"Corporation"), does hereby certify to the State Department of Assessments and
Taxation of Maryland that:

      FIRST: The Corporation desires to amend its charter as currently in
effect. As of immediately before the amendment to the Corporation's charter
described below, the shares of common stock of the series of the Short-Term
Portfolio of the Corporation, par value $.10 per share (the "Common Stock"), are
divided into classes having the following designations: Class A Common Stock,
Class B Common Stock, Class C Common Stock and Class I Common Stock.

      SECOND: Pursuant to Section 2-605 of the Maryland General Corporation Law,
the charter of the Corporation is hereby amended as follows:

      (i) The Class A Common Stock of each Series of the Corporation is hereby
      redesignated "Investor A1 Common Stock." The Investor A1 Common Stock
      shall retain the same preferences, conversions and other rights, voting
      powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and
      terms and conditions of redemption of the former Class A Common Stock;

      (ii) The Class B Common Stock of each Series of the Corporation is hereby
      redesignated "Investor B Common Stock." The Investor B Common Stock
      shall retain the same preferences, conversions and other rights, voting
      powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and
      terms and conditions of redemption of the former Class B Common Stock;

      (iii) The Class C Common Stock of each Series of the Corporation is hereby
      redesignated "Investor C Common Stock." The Investor C Common Stock
      shall retain the same preferences, conversions and other rights, voting
      powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and
      terms and conditions of redemption of the former Class C Common Stock; and

      (iv) The Class I Common Stock of each Series of the Corporation is hereby
      redesignated "Institutional Common Stock." The Institutional Common Stock
      shall retain the same preferences, conversions and other rights, voting
      powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and
      terms and conditions of redemption of the former Class I Common Stock.




      THIRD: These Articles of Amendment have been approved by a majority of the
entire Board of Directors of the Corporation and are limited to a change
expressly authorized by Section 2-605 of the Maryland General Corporation Law
and are therefore made without action by the stockholders.

      FOURTH: The authorized capital stock of the Corporation has not been
increased by these Articles of Amendment.

      FIFTH: As amended hereby, the Corporation's charter shall remain in full
force and effect.

      SIXTH: These Articles of Amendment shall be effective as of 8:00 a.m. on
the ___ day of _____, 2006.


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      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, MERRILL LYNCH MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC. has caused
these presents to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and
witnessed by its Secretary as of the _____ day of ________, 2006.

                                         MERRILL LYNCH MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.

                                            By:______________________________
                                               Robert C. Doll, Jr., President

Witness:

______________________________
Alice A. Pellegrino, Secretary

      THE UNDERSIGNED, President of the Corporation, who executed on behalf of
the Corporation the foregoing Articles of Amendment of which this certificate is
made a part, hereby acknowledges in the name and on behalf of the Corporation
the foregoing Articles of Amendment to be the corporate act of the Corporation
and further certifies, as to all of the matters and facts required to be
verified under oath, that to the best of his knowledge, information and belief,
the matters and facts set forth herein are true in all material respects, under
the penalties of perjury.

                                                 ______________________________
                                                 Robert C. Doll, Jr., President

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