Days after former Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina was forced into exile following a student-led uprising, leading to her escape from Bangladesh, hundreds of student protesters on Saturday, August 10, gheraoed the Supreme Court, demanding the resignation of all judges, including Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan.
The protesters have reportedly given one hour to the Supreme Court judges to resign. The protesters have warned the Supreme Court judges that their residences would be besieged if they fail to resign before the deadline.
Reports suggest that the Chief Justice, suspecting escalation in tensions, may have left the building, with hundreds of protesters marching and surrounding the Supreme Court.
The protesters also included lawyers that has gathered outside the Supreme Court.
Just In: The Chief Justice has he had agreed to resign “in principle” after an ultimatum to do so from protesters. Obaidul Hassan, seen as a loyalist to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was appointed to helm the Supreme Court last year.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Bank governor Abdur Rouf Talukder, too, has resigned. His resignation came days after the protesters stormed the central bank’s headquarters amid political upheaval in the country. Abdur Talukder resigned as the governor on Friday, August 9, citing “personal reasons”.
Sheikh Hasina, 76-year-old three time premier of Bangladesh, fled by helicopter to neighbouring India on Monday, August 5, as thousands marched towards her residence in Dhaka. Storming the streets in thousands, the protesters later stormed her official residence, Ganabhaban.
The dramatoc scenes showed protesters feeding on the food at the former prime minister's house, swimming in her pool and looting valuables such as her sarees, animals, mattresses and everything they could put their hands on.
More than 450 people were killed in the unrest leading up to Hasina's departure, including dozens of police officers killed during clampdowns on demonstrations. The caretaker administration Yunus helms has said that restoration of law and order is its “first priority”.
