Published: 08:58 AM, 10 December 2025
Speculation goes on regarding new CJ appointment
Bangladesh's 25th Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refat Ahmed is scheduled to retire from service on 27 December 2025. Speculations have already gone high in the judicial arena and on court premises about who is going to be appointed to hold the new Chief Justice post.
The Supreme Court Appellate Division consists of six Justices apart from Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refat Ahmed. In terms of seniority these six Justices are Md. Ashfaqul Islam, Zubair Rahman Chowdhury, Md. Rezaul Haque, SM Imdadul Haque, AKM Asaduzzaman and Farah Mahbub. These six dignified individuals are all Justices in the Appellate Division currently. Names of Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Zubair Rahman Chowdhury are being most repeatedly discussed among legal experts, judicial service officials and pleaders in recent days.
Bangladesh Constitution states that only the country's President holds the power to appoint Chief Justice. The President is empowered with the authority of appointing Chief Justices. Longstanding practices in Bangladesh's judicial system shows that a senior judge from the Appellate Division is generally chosen for the Chief Justice post. However, an exception happened and a different instance was introduced in the appointment of the 25th Chief Justice of Bangladesh in the wake of the July Revolution. After former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina escaped to India on 5 August 2024, six Justices from the Appellate Division had to quit at the face of the enormous July Uprising last year. Bangladesh interim government selected Dr. Syed Refat Ahmed for the Chief Justice post during that turbulent period.
Bangladesh Constitution dictates that the country's President will select a competent judge for the Chief Justice echelon and other judges will be appointed through consultation between the President and the Chief Justice. The July Charter also narrates that the Chief Justice will be selected from Supreme Court Appellate Division while Judicial Service Reform Commission has suggested that the senior most Judge of the Appellate Division should be placed in the Chief Justice position.
Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir and Judicial Service Reform Commission Member Masdar Hossain have said that the President will exercise his intellect and sagacity and will follow the constitutional procedure to appoint a dexterous, honest and enlightened Chief Justice. Both these legal scholars have stated that the President holds the ultimate authority when it comes to the selection of Chief Justice in Bangladesh.
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