Refaat Ahmed sworn in as Bangladesh’s new chief justice

Dhaka: Syed Refaat Ahmed was sworn in as Bangladesh’s new chief justice on Sunday, a day after Obaidul Hassan stepped down as the top judge following an ultimatum by the protesters demanding a revamp of the judiciary.

Hassan and five other judges of the apex Appellate Division on Saturday tendered their resignation, five days after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s regime amid massive street protests.

His resignation came as protesters of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement gathered at the apex court premises. The students had issued an ultimatum to him and the judges of the Appellate Division to resign by 1 pm

Ahmed took oath as the new chief justice during a ceremony at the Darbar Hall of the president’s official residence at around 12.45 pm local time, The Daily Star newspaper reported. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to the chief justice. The oath-taking ceremony was conducted by Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain, the report said.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who was sworn in on Thursday as the head of an interim government following the ouster of Hasina, also attended the event.

President Shahabuddin on Saturday appointed Justice Ahmed as the 25th chief justice of Bangladesh.

Several top officials in Bangladesh, including Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Maksud Kamal and Bangla Academy Director General Professor Dr Md Harun-Ur-Rashid Askari, resigned from their posts in the wake of new protests by students and other demonstrators.

Meanwhile, Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar and Suprodip Chakma were sworn in on Sunday as the members of the council of advisers of Bangladesh’s interim government led by Nobel laureate Prof Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to Poddar and Chakma while Chief Adviser Dr. Yunus witnessed the ceremony at Darbar Hall of the presidential palace ‘Bangabhaban’ here, state-run BSS news agency reported. On Thursday, the majority of the members of the 16-member council of advisers took oath. The council will assist Yunus in running the state’s affairs.

Chakma, former Ambassador and Chairman of the Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board, and Dr Poddar, former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, could not take oath on Thursday as they were outside Dhaka, the news agency said.

Another adviser, freedom fighter Farooq-e Azam, could not take oath as he was outside the capital.

Yunus, the 84-year-old economist was appointed as the head of the interim government on Tuesday after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India following widespread protests against her government over a controversial quota system in jobs.