Bangladesh Supreme Court chief justice resigns as interim government leader Muhammad Yunus calls for unity

The president of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, close to the former government, forced out by a popular uprising, resigned under pressure from demonstrators, according to local media, Saturday August 10 at a time when the head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, launched an appeal for unity.

Obaidul Hassan said on Saturday that he had agreed to resign “in principle”after receiving an ultimatum from protesters, some of whom gathered outside the country’s top judicial authority, Jamuna TV reported. Appointed to lead the Supreme Court in 2023, he is considered a loyalist of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country this week following mass protests. He notably oversaw a highly criticized war crimes tribunal that ordered the execution of Sheikh Hasina’s opponents. His brother was his secretary for many years.

Bangladesh’s interim leader appealed for religious unity Saturday as he hugged and comforted the weeping mother of a student shot dead by police, whose death was the culmination of mass protests that ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. “Our responsibility is to build a new Bangladesh”the economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner told reporters. “Let’s not differentiate based on religion”he insisted, as several attacks on the country’s Hindu minority since Sheikh Hasina’s flight have sparked concern in neighbouring India and fears in Bangladesh.

The new prime minister was speaking during a visit to the northern city of Rangpur, where he paid tribute to Abu Sayeed, the first student killed in the crackdown on protests. The 25-year-old was shot dead at point-blank range by police on July 16. The new caretaker government vowed Friday to tackle the difficult challenge of returning the country to democracy after the student uprising and mass protests.