Bangladesh students' ultimatum works, 6 judges resign, nominated judge appointed chief justice
Justice Syed Rifat Ahmed, a senior judge of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court, has been appointed as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh.
Asif Mahmood, leader of the student movement and advisor to the interim government, had called for gheraoing the Supreme Court today, after which the students surrounded the High Court and demanded the resignation of the judges.
The students had given an ultimatum that if six political judges, including the Chief Justice, did not resign, they would enter their homes and force them to resign.
Under pressure from students, Bangladesh Supreme Court Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan resigned and Justice Ashfaqul Islam was made acting Chief Justice in his place.
However, the students also rejected the appointment of Ashfaqul Islam and gave an ultimatum by evening to remove him from the post and make Justice Syed Rifat of the High Court the Chief Justice.
"On our demand, the Chief Justice resigned and Ashfaq Ahmed was made acting Chief Justice, but he has also been equally involved in the repressive measures in the 15-year-old Hasina Wajid government and we reject this appointment," said Hasnat Abdullah, a student movement leader.
After this, the ultimatum of the students worked and Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin appointed Justice Syed Rifat as the 25th Chief Justice of the country.
Born on December 28, 1958, His father Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed was a former Attorney General, while his mother Dr. Sofia Ahmed was a renowned professor of the country, she was associated with teaching in the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Dhaka University.
On the other hand, five judges of the Supreme Court, considered supporters of Hasina Wajid, resigned on the ultimatum of the students.
Those who resigned are Justice Inayat-ur-Rahim, Justice Abu Zafar Siddiqui, Justice Muhammad Jahangir Hussain, Justice Shahi Noor Islam and Justice Kashifa Hussain.
These judges sent their resignations to the President through the Law Ministry.
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