Ashfaqul Islam appointed acting chief justice of Bangladesh as protests lead to change in Dhaka's top brass

Appellate Division Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam was appointed as the acting chief justice of Bangladesh, hours after his predecessor Justice Obaidul Hassan resigned amid nationwide protests. According to Bangladeshi news outlet The Dhaka Tribune, the Supreme Court’s Public Relations Officer, Md Shafiqul Islam confirmed the appointment on Saturday.

Islam holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in law from the University of Dhaka. The appointment came amid reports that five judges of the Appellate Division may resign from the post after the chief justice stepped down.

There has been a major change in Bangladesh’s leadership that operated in different institutions, following the resignation of the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The 15-year-long rule of Hasina came to an end due to the nationwide anti-government protests that led to the death of over 200 people. After Hasina fled Dhaka, the Bangladeshi army and country’s president chose Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus to lead the interim government which took over.

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Bangladesh chief justice, central bank governor step down

In light of the protests, Bangladesh’s chief justice and central bank governor resigned from the post on Saturday. The law ministry’s adviser Asif Nazrul, confirmed Hassan’s resignation on Saturday after students reportedly warned the latter of “dire consequences” if he did not resign.

“Don’t damage any public property,” said, Nazrul who assumed the role after the new caretaker government came to power.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder tendered his resignation the same day. However, his resignation was not accepted given the importance of the position, finance ministry adviser Salehuddin Ahmed averred.

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Not only this, the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, ASM Maksud Kamal, has also resigned. It is pertinent to note that the University was at the epicentre of the deadly protests that escalated in July against the Hasina administration’s decision to increase quotas in government jobs for individuals whose family members were part of the Bangladesh liberation movement.

The protests slowly morphed into an oust-Hasina campaign, leading to the prime minister fleeing the country. Since Hasina’s departure, Bangladesh has also seen appointments of a new police chief as part of a shake-up of the security top brass that also included a new head of the technical intelligence monitoring agency and changes among senior army officials.

With inputs from agencies.