Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Obaidul Hassan, has resigned after a significant protest at the Supreme Court premises in Dhaka on Saturday. Hundreds of demonstrators, including students and lawyers, gathered at the court, demanding the resignation of the Chief Justice and other judges of the Appellate Division.
The protests, which began around 10:30 am local time, saw demonstrators issuing an ultimatum for the resignation of the Chief Justice and the Appellate Division judges by 1:00 pm The protesters warned that if their demands were not met, they would lay siege to the judges’ residences.
In response to the escalating situation, Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan is expected to consult with President Mohammed Shahabuddin before tendering his resignation later in the evening, as reported by ‘The Dhaka Tribune’. The decision to step down was reportedly made public by the Chief Justice on Saturday afternoon, as protesters continued to gather outside the Supreme Court.
The demonstration prompted the postponement of a full court meeting, which had been convened to discuss whether the court’s functions would continue virtually. The meeting was put on hold as tensions mounted.
Earlier in the day, Asif Mahmud, an adviser to the Youth and Sports Ministry of the interim government, took to social media to demand the unconditional resignation of Chief Justice Hassan and the cessation of the full court meeting. This call for resignation has intensified the pressure on the judiciary amid the ongoing protests.
Obaidul Hassan was appointed as Chief Justice last year and has been perceived as a loyalist to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted earlier this week. Sheikh Hasina, 76, fled to neighboring India on Monday following mass protests in Dhaka, marking the end of her authoritarian rule. Her government had been widely criticized for alleged human rights violations, including the extrajudicial killing of thousands of political opponents.