President Hamid swears in new Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain

President Md Abdul Hamid has sworn in Syed Mahmud Hossain as the 22nd chief justice of the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, senior members of her cabinet, top judges and lawyers of the Supreme Court, among others, were present at the oath-taking ceremony that started at the Bangabhaban at 7pm on Saturday.

Among the former chief justices, Law Commission Chairman Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice Muzammel Hossain were present.

Justice Hossain later signed the oath along with the president. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam moderated the ceremony.

Surendra Kumar Sinha, the 21st chief justice who resigned after a bitter conflict with the government over several issues, is abroad now.

Hours after the president signed the appointment letter of Justice Hossain on Friday, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah, who had been performing the duty of the chief justice for around four months, stepped down.

Justice Miah cited ‘unavoidable personal reasons’ for his resignation 10 months prior to his retirement, but it appears that he resigned for not being picked up as chief justice despite being the most senior judge in the Appellate Division.

Justice Miah was elevated to the Appellate Division on Feb 23, 2011 along with Justice Hossain, who joined the High Court Division two years after Justice Miah was named to the division in 2001.

Before the High Court appointment, Justice Hossain had been serving as a deputy attorney general since December 1999.

Born on Dec 31, 1954, Justice Hossain started practising law in 1981 and two years later went on to practice in the High Court. He has three more years before his retirement.

He also headed the committees formed by the president to recommend names for appointment as election commissioners twice.  

After the resignation of Justice Miah, Justice Hossain is the most senior judge in the Appellate Division with three other judges.

The other judges in the Appellate Division are Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice Mirza Hussain Haider.