Staff Reporter :
High Court judge Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin appointed him through Article 95(1) of the Constitution, reads a notification issued by the law ministry on Saturday.
On the other hand, five justices of the Appellate Division of Bangladesh have stepped down following the resignation of Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan.
They are Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Justice Abu Zafor Siddique, Justice Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, Justice Md Shahinur Islam, and Justice Kashefa Hussain.
They submitted their resignation letters to the president through the Ministry of Law in the evening.
Earlier, at around 2:30pm, sources from the Ministry of Law reported that Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan had resigned.
Earlier, several hundred protesters, with many carrying the national flag, have taken position on the premises in front of the High Court building since 12:00 pm on Saturday.
The protesters said they would continue a peaceful sit-in until their demands are met. The army has taken positions at the High Court premises.
Meanwhile, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, coordinator of Student Against Discrimination and advisor to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, said in a post on the social media platform Facebook that the sit-in programme is being observed demanding the resignation of the chief justice and seven justices of the Appellate Division.
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan further wrote in the post, “We want the chief justice and the seven justices of the Appellate Division appointed by fascist Hasina be stepped down.
There is no relation to the district judge court with this. We urge all of the Students Against Discrimination not to take up position at any district judge court.
There is nothing to be misled; our demand and programmes are clear. Take position peacefully near the High Court. Form a national unity to resist the conspiracy of the defeated fascist Awami League, as well as to build the country.”
Earlier in the day, a full court meeting of the High Court and the Appellate Division justices was scheduled to be held virtually at 10:30 am at the instructions of the chief justice, but it was later postponed.
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan gave to two posts in the morning on the full court meeting calling the chief justice to resign and postpone the full court meeting.
He said, “Agents of the fascists are still lurking with a motive to sabotage the victory of students and people.
The uprising students and people had sieged the High Court peacefully. There is still time for resignation. Otherwise, we will be forced to go tough.”
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said in another post, “Supreme Court chief justice, who was patronised by the fascist and also involved in various crime, called a full court meeting without any discussion with the government.
No conspiracy plot of the defeated forces will be tolerated. Lawyers have already gathered in protest.”
“We had previously called the chief justice to step down. If he sides against students and people or provokes them, he will face dire consequences. Resign from the position of chief justice immediately and unconditionally, and stop the full court meeting,” the advisor added.