Justice Syed Refat Ahmed, the 25th Chief Justice of Bangladesh, took his oath of office on Sunday afternoon and arrived at the Supreme Court directly afterward.
In a historic turn of events, Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam of the Appellate Division and other High Court judges were also present at the Supreme Court today.
At 12:45 PM on Sunday, President Md. Shahabuddin administered the oath to Justice Syed Refat Ahmed in the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban. The ceremony was attended by the interim government’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, other advisers, military and civilian officials, the Attorney General, senior lawyers, journalists, and Supreme Court judges.
Following demands from the anti-discrimination student movement, Justice Obaidul Hassan, the 24th Chief Justice, resigned on August 10, paving the way for Justice Syed Refat Ahmed’s appointment. President Md. Shahabuddin appointed Justice Syed Refat Ahmed as the new Chief Justice under Article 95(1) of the Constitution, with his appointment effective from the date of the oath.
Justice Syed Refat Ahmed earned his law degree from Dhaka University and later pursued a BA and MA in the UK, followed by a PhD in the United States. Born on December 28, 1958, he began his legal career in 1984, practicing in district courts, joined the High Court in 1986, and was enrolled in the Appellate Division in 2002. He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court on April 27, 2003, and became a permanent Judge two years later. Justice Syed Refat Ahmed is the son of the late Barrister Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed, a former caretaker government adviser, and the late National Professor Sufia Ahmed.
