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.’
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has issued forecasts of rain or thundershowers for Dhaka, Rangpur, and five other divisions, commencing from 9 am today and extending over the next 24 hours. This weather forecast encompasses Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, and Sylhet divisions, where accompanying gusty or squally winds are anticipated during the rainfall. Additionally, Chattogram division is expected to experience some activity, albeit in fewer places, with the potential for hail in isolated areas.
The BMD bulletin highlights that various areas within these seven divisions may witness significant thunderstorm activity, accompanied by temporary gusty or squally winds, with isolated occurrences of hail.
Temperature levels across the nation are projected to remain consistent, both during daytime and at night. Over the past 24-hour period, Rajshahi recorded the highest temperature in the country at 34.7 degrees Celsius, while Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, experienced the lowest temperature at 21.2 degrees Celsius.
Dhaka witnessed the most substantial rainfall, measuring up to 87mm. Residents in the affected divisions are advised to prepare for adverse weather conditions and stay informed about further forecasts from the BMD.
The Jashore Education Board has achieved the highest pass rate of 92.32% among the nine boards in the 2024 Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, according to official data.
Conversely, Sylhet remained at the bottom with a pass rate of 73.35%, continuing its trend from last year when it also recorded the lowest pass rate of 76.06%.
Data from the education board website reveals that the Dhaka board secured a pass rate of 83.92%, while Rajshahi board achieved 89.25%, Cumilla board 79.20%, Barishal board 89.13%, Chattogram board 82.80%, Dinajpur board 78.40%, and Mymensingh board 84.97%.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the results of this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations. Students have been able to access their results through the official website.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched the 2024 Hajj program (1445 hijri) in Ashkona, the capital, today, May 8th.
Subsequently, she exchanged pleasantries with the Hajj pilgrims at the Ashkona Hajj camp.
The maiden Hajj flight is set to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia on Thursday (May 9).
Dedicated Hajj flights will also operate from Chattogram and Sylhet airports, landing at Jeddah and Medina airports.
This year, 85,257 Bangladeshi pilgrims are expected to undertake the holy journey. Among them, 4,562 will be under government management, while 80,695 will be managed privately.
The Hajj is tentatively scheduled for June 15th, contingent upon the moon sighting.
In attendance were Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqur Rahman, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Religious Affairs Ministry Mohammad Huchamuddin Chowdhury, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan, and president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Shahadat Hossain Taslim.
Religious Affairs Minister Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the inaugural function, while Religious Affairs Secretary Md A Hamid Zamadder delivered the welcome address.
