
Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan has resigned following a wave of student protests demanding a judiciary overhaul. Asif Nazrul, a law ministry advisor, confirmed the resignation in a Facebook post, revealing that Hasan’s resignation letter has been received and will be forwarded to the president promptly.
The resignation follows mounting pressure from student demonstrators who had marched to the apex court, insisting on judicial reforms and warning of “dire consequences” if Hasan did not step down. The protests, which intensified over the past few days, had reached a critical point, compelling Hasan to make his decision.
In response to the resignation, the protesting students began to vacate the High Court premises at the army’s request around 2:00 p.m. local time, according to reports from Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo. Despite this, the exact reasons behind Hasan’s decision and his stance on the ongoing protests remain unclear as he has not yet publicly addressed the matter.
Nazrul, representing the protesting students, expressed hopes that the chief justice would understand the gravity of the situation when a resignation demand comes from a mass movement. He emphasized the need for peaceful protests and discouraged any damage to public property.
The resignation of Chief Justice Hasan comes amid broader political unrest in Bangladesh. Reports suggest that Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder also tendered his resignation in response to the expanding student protests. However, Finance Ministry Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed stated that Talukder’s resignation had not been accepted due to the critical nature of his position. Additionally, four deputy governors resigned after allegations of corruption among top officials led to protests by bank employees.
Further complicating the situation, A.S.M. Maksud Kamal, the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, also resigned. The university has been a focal point of the unrest, which initially began over job quotas and evolved into a broader movement against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
On August 5, Hasina fled the country amid the turmoil and sought refuge at Ghaziabad’s Hindon airbase. The departure marked the end of her 15-year tenure as prime minister. The country has since witnessed a significant shift in its political landscape, including the establishment of an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.