Acting Chief Justice Ashfaqul faces ultimatum to resign by Sunday morning

Protesters demand appointment of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed as chief justice

Protesters have given Acting Chief Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam until 9am on Sunday to resign.

They are demanding that Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed of the Supreme Court's High Court Division be appointed as the new chief justice.

The demand was made during a protest at the Shikkha Odhikar Chattar next to the High Court, which concluded around 6:15pm on Saturday.

Prior to this, students had surrounded the High Court in the afternoon, demanding the resignation of Appellate Division judges in response to calls from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement.

Under pressure from the protesters, Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan resigned.

Students then continued their protest, calling for the resignation of other justices.

On condition of anonymity, the official confirmed that five other justices in the highest court in Bangladesh had also decided to step down.

They are Justice M Enayetur Rahim, Justice Abu Zafor Siddique, Justice Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, Justice Md Shahinur Islam, and Justice Kashefa Hussain.

Abu Baker Majumder, one of the key coordinators of the movement, said: "Syed Refaat Ahmed must be appointed as chief justice. We have given a deadline until 9am tomorrow.”

“If our demand is not met by then, we will announce fresh programmes.”

The protesters then marched towards the Dhaka University campus.