Bangladesh
Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan took oath as the 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, 26 September 2023: President Md Sahabuddin administered the oath to Justice Obaidul Hassan as the 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh. The Head of State administered the oath of office to him in a brief ceremony at the Durbar Hall of Banga Bhavan at 11 am on Tuesday. Bangladesh Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain conducted the oath ceremony.
Speaker of the National Parliament Dr. Shireen Sharmin Chowdhury, President's wife Dr. Rebecca Sultana, members of the Cabinet, members of the Advisory Council, Deputy Leaders of the National Parliament, former Chief Justices, Judges of both Appellate and High Courts, Whips of the National Parliament, Chiefs of the three armed forces, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Attorney General, editors and senior journalists of various national dailies and news organizations, lawyers of the Supreme Court and leaders of the Supreme Court Bar Association were present.
Earlier, on September 12, the President appointed Justice Obaidul Hassan of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh under Article 95 (1) of the Constitution. The tenure of the 23rd Chief Justice Hasan Faiz Siddiqui ended on Monday 25 September. Immediately after signing the oath, Justice Obaidul Hassan started serving as the Chief Justice.
Lawyer Obaidul Hassan was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court in 2009 and was confirmed as a permanent judge in 2011. He was elevated to the rank of judge in the Appellate Division on 3 September 2020.
Son of Akhlakul Hossain Ahmed and Begum Hosne Ara Hossain, Justice Obaidul Hassan was born on January 1, 1959 in Chayashi village of Mohanganj Upazila, Netrokona in a respectable Muslim family. His father Dr. Akhlakul Hossain Ahmed was one of the organizers of the 1971 liberation war. As a member of the then Central Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, he participated in the drafting of the first constitution of independent Bangladesh.
Hassan was appointed Chairman of the International Criminal Tribunal-II on 25 March 2012 and has announced 11 judgments as of 15 September 2015. His wife Nafisa Banu is currently serving as Member (Finance) of the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority.
The son of this couple is Barrister Ahmed Shafkat Hassan. He holds an LLM in International Law from Durham University, UK.
Obaidul Hassan obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in economics from Dhaka University before initially studying law. He joined the Dhaka District Court as an apprentice in 1986 and was enrolled in the High Court in 1988. He is the author of several articles and books.
