Bangladesh acting chief justice quits

DHAKA: Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah Friday tendered his resignation as acting chief justice of Bangladesh.

According to international media reports, he had been performing as the acting chief justice since October 3.

Hours after Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain was appointed as the new chief justice of Bangladesh, Md Abdul Wahhab Miah resigned from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

President Md Abdul Hamid’s office has received his resignation letter, according to a source from the Supreme Court.

He also reportedly took back home his personal files and documents.

Justice Miah was the senior-most judge of the Appellate Division. He was made an additional judge to the High Court Division in 1999 and appointed permanent High Court judge in 2001. He was also elevated to the Appellate Division in 2011.

Justice Hossain, the second senior most Appellate Division judge, will be sworn in as the 22nd chief justice in Dhaka, confirmed Press Secretary to the President Md Joynal Abedin.

He said: “We are taking necessary preparations for Justice Hossain’s swearing-in ceremony.”

Law secretary ASM Md Jahirul Haq also said the president signed the file approving his appointment earlier in the day and a gazette notification was also issued later in this regard.

The post of the chief justice fell vacant when Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha resigned on November 10 last year after taking a leave of absence on health grounds in October.

Afterwards, Justice Miah was made the acting chief justice after Justice Sinha went abroad on leave. According to the age limit, Miah could have served till November 10, 2018.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters right after Justice Hossain’s appointment, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said the president appointed the new chief justice according to Article 95(1) of the constitution.

Expressing satisfaction over this appointment, Alam said it would accelerate the appointment of Supreme Court judges.