Dhaka, August 11 – High Court Judge Syed Refat Ahmed has been appointed as the 25th Chief Justice of Bangladesh. His swearing-in ceremony will be held at Bangabhaban on Sunday afternoon. President Sahabuddin made the appointment on Saturday night, and the Ministry of Law has issued a notification regarding the appointment.

The appointment follows the resignation of Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan on Saturday, who stepped down in response to demands from the anti-discrimination student movement. Additionally, five other judges of the Appellate Division also resigned.

According to the official announcement, President Sahabuddin appointed Justice Syed Refat Ahmed as the Chief Justice under the authority granted by Article 95(1) of the Constitution. The appointment will take effect from the date of his swearing-in.

Earlier, there were reports that Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam would be made Acting Chief Justice. However, the news sparked controversy, with Hasnat Abdullah, the coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, rejecting the appointment and demanding that Syed Refat Ahmed be appointed as Chief Justice immediately.

Justice Syed Refat Ahmed was initially appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court Division in 2003 and became a permanent Judge of the High Court Division in 2005. He is the son of former Attorney General Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed and Dr. Sufia Ahmed, a former teacher and National Professor in the Islamic Studies Department of Dhaka University.

Justice Syed Refat Ahmed holds a Law degree from Dhaka University and completed his postgraduate studies at Wadham College, Oxford University, in 1983.