Syed Refaat Ahmed was sworn in as Bangladesh’s new chief justice on Sunday, a day after his predecessor, Obaidul Hassan, resigned amid growing demands from protesters. Hassan, seen as an ally of the ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, stepped down alongside five other judges from the Appellate Division, following a student-led uprising that toppled the regime.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Ahmed, the most senior high court judge, according to AFP, citing the president’s press secretary, Shiplu Zaman. “He became the 25th chief justice of Bangladesh,” Zaman confirmed.
This appointment is part of a broader reshuffling aimed at replacing officials viewed as remnants of the previous government. The resignations came after the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement issued an ultimatum demanding the departure of Hassan and the other judges by 1 pm on Saturday.
Hassan previously led a controversial war crimes tribunal that ordered the execution of Hasina’s political opponents. In the wake of nationwide protests, other key figures, including Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Maksud Kamal and Bangla Academy Director General Professor Dr. Md Harun-Ur-Rashid Askari, also stepped down from their positions.
Sheikh Hasina fled to India by helicopter on Monday as demonstrators filled the streets of Dhaka, marking a dramatic end to her 15-year rule, which was marred by accusations of widespread human rights abuses and the extrajudicial killing of thousands of political opponents.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the Chief Adviser to a caretaker administration on Thursday, following Hasina’s ouster. Yunus stated that restoring law and order would be the caretaker administration’s top priority.