National
Justice Obaidul Hassan Sworn In as 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh
Justice Obaidul Hasan has been sworn in today as the 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh, with the president administering the oath at 11 am in the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban. The ceremony was attended by prominent figures including the president’s wife, Cabinet members, former chief justices, judges from both the Appellate and High Court divisions, heads of the armed services, the principal secretary to the prime minister, the attorney general, and Supreme Court lawyers, including leaders from the SC Bar Association. Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain presided over the proceedings.
The appointment was made in accordance with Article 95 (1) of the Constitution, following the retirement of the outgoing chief justice on the same day. Justice Obaidul Hassan, a distinguished senior judge of the Appellate Division, was officially appointed as the chief justice on September 12.
Justice Hassan’s journey in the legal realm began in 2009 when he was appointed as an additional judge in the Supreme Court’s High Court Division. His dedication and competence earned him the confirmation as a permanent judge in 2011. His ascent continued as he was elevated to the position of judge in the Appellate Division on September 3, 2020.
Born on January 1, 1959, in Chayashi village under Mohanganj upazila in Netrokona district, Justice Obaidul Hassan is the son of Dr. Akhlaqul Hossain Ahmed and Begum Hosne Ara Hossain.
Notably, Justice Hassan also served as the chairman of International Crimes Tribunal-2 from March 25, 2012, until September 15, 2015. During his tenure, he pronounced 11 verdicts.
Justice Obaidul Hassan is married to Nafisa Banu, who currently holds the position of Member (Finance) on the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority. The couple has a son named Barrister Ahmed Shafquat Hassan.
His younger brother, Sajjadul Hassan, serves as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Netrokona-4 constituency and has previously held the position of senior secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Before embarking on his legal career, Justice Obaidul Hassan obtained graduate and postgraduate degrees in economics from Dhaka University. He later transitioned to the field of law and initiated his practice in the Dhaka District Court in 1986, subsequently gaining enrollment in the High Court in 1988. He became an Appellate Division lawyer in 2005 and also served as an assistant attorney general and deputy attorney general for a cumulative period of 5 years from 1996 to 2001.
Throughout his illustrious career, Justice Obaidul Hassan actively participated in various international legal conferences in countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Netherlands, and Argentina. He represented Bangladesh at an international crimes conference in Buenos Aires in 2015 and engaged in dialogues with judges from the International Crimes Court and the International Crimes Tribunal in The Hague during the same year.
Justice Obaidul Hassan is not only a jurist but also an author, having penned several books, including titles such as ‘Obornonio Nirmomotar Chittro Ekatturer Buddhijibi Hotyakando O Onnanya,’ ‘Bangabandhu Bangladesh Ekjon Juddho Shishur Golpo O Onnanya,’ and ‘Bangabandhu, Rabindranath O Oshamprodayeek Bangladesh.’
National
Professor Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Appointed Vice-Chancellor of Northern University Bangladesh
Professor Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, a distinguished academic from the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka, has been appointed the new Vice-Chancellor of Northern University Bangladesh (NUB). The Ministry of Education confirmed the appointment through an official notification issued on Sunday (23 November), signed by Sultan Ahmed, Assistant Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, on behalf of the President.
The notice states that, with the approval of the Honorable President and Chancellor, Professor Rahman will serve a four-year term as Vice-Chancellor under Section 31(1) of the Private University Act, 2010. He will receive all salary, allowances, and benefits as determined by the university, and his duties will commence immediately in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Professor Rahman has an outstanding academic background. He secured First Class First in his Honors degree from the University of Dhaka’s Marketing Department, achieving record-breaking marks. He completed his MBA with dual majors in Finance and Marketing at Dalhousie University in Canada, graduating in the top 1% of his class. He later earned his Master’s degree (First Class Second) and PhD from the same department at the University of Dhaka.
During his illustrious 35-year career, he has served as Chairman of the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka for three years and was elected to both the Syndicate and Senate of the university. He also served as Dean at Daffodil International University and has taught as an adjunct professor at North South University, BRAC University, and Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).
Professor Rahman has an extensive body of research, with over 35 publications, including four international papers and three research monographs. Several MPhil and PhD scholars have completed their degrees under his supervision. He also served for many years as Vice President of the Dhaka University Marketing Alumni Association.
Outside academia, he has contributed significantly to the corporate sector and educational governance. He has worked as an independent director and strategic adviser to various reputed organizations and has served on the governing bodies of several well-known colleges in Dhaka. He currently holds the position of Chairman of the North South Society.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
