This year, nine judges of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court resigned between August 10 and November 19.
The resignations include six judges from the Appellate Division, including the then-Chief Justice, and three judges from the High Court Division.
The six Appellate Division judges, including Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, resigned following student-led protests and the subsequent transfer of judicial removal authority from Parliament to the Supreme Judicial Council. The High Court Division judges, who had been barred from conducting judicial work since 2019, resigned after the council's formation.
Protests escalated on August 5, leading to the departure of the Awami League government, the dissolution of Parliament, and the establishment of an interim government.
On August 10, demonstrators gathered in front of the Supreme Court Annex Building, demanding the resignation of Chief Justice Hassan and other judges. The Chief Justice announced his decision to step down later that afternoon, prompting the protesters to disperse.
Apart from Justice Hassan, the resigning Appellate Division judges were Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Justice Md Abu Zafar Siddique, Justice Jahangir Hossain, Justice Md Shahinur Islam, and Justice Kashefa Hossain. They are currently finalizing the full texts of their delivered judgments, some of which have been published online. However, the much-anticipated ruling on the quota system remains pending.
On November 19, three High Court Division judges—Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury, Justice Kazi Reza-Ul Haque, and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque—also stepped down. Since August 22, 2019, they had been removed from judicial duties following preliminary investigations into allegations against them.
The resignations follow the Appellate Division’s October 20 ruling that restored the Supreme Judicial Council's authority under Article 96 of the Constitution, which had been altered by the 16th Amendment passed a decade ago. This decision marked a shift in the removal process of judges, taking it away from Parliament.
The Supreme Judicial Council, comprising the Chief Justice and the next two senior-most judges, is now tasked with examining allegations against judges. The council is reportedly evaluating several pending cases.
According to legal procedures, resignation letters are submitted to the President through the Chief Adviser. On November 7, the Supreme Court confirmed the operational status of the Judicial Council, with investigations ongoing.
BDST: 1356 HRS, DEC 31, 2024
MSK
