The Chief Justice of Bangladesh, Obaidul Hassan, has stepped down from his position amidst growing calls for his resignation. Student protesters, who had set an ultimatum for Hassan to relinquish his post as head of the judiciary, gathered outside the Supreme Court in Dhaka. The protests escalated after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the capital, with lawyers aligned with the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) joining the movement.
Hassan, appointed to lead the Supreme Court last year, is perceived as a loyalist to Hasina. He announced his resignation, citing concerns for the safety of lawyers, and stating that he would send his resignation letter to President Mohammed Shahabuddin by the evening.
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement had issued a stark warning to Hassan, threatening to besiege his and judges’ residences if he did not resign. The Lawyers Against Discrimination Coordination Council, led by lawyers associated with Khaleda Zia’s BNP, also demanded the resignation of Hassan and all justices of the Appellate Division.
Prominent figures, including former Dhaka Bar Advocate Mohsin Mia, former president Khorhshed Alam, and former general secretaries Omar Faruq Faruqi and Khorhshed Mia Alam, participated in the protests. Mia asserted that any judge who violated their oath of impartiality to advance the Awami League government’s agenda must resign within 24 hours, threatening a strong movement against them if they refused.
This resignation comes at a time of significant political upheaval in Bangladesh, with the protests highlighting the deep divisions within the country’s legal system and the pressure on the judiciary to remain independent.
