Bangladesh’s new chief justice, Syed Refaat Ahmed, has been sworn in after his predecessor, seen as a supporter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned amid protests, a presidential official said on Sunday. This change is part of a broader effort to replace officials linked to the previous regime, ousted by a student-led uprising.
Ahmed, who studied at the University of Dhaka, Oxford, and Tufts University, was sworn in by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, becoming the 25th chief justice of Bangladesh.
His predecessor, Obaidul Hassan, announced his resignation on Saturday after protests outside the court demanded his departure. Hassan, appointed last year, had previously overseen a controversial war crimes tribunal and was closely connected to Hasina’s government.