Bangladesh’s chief justice and central bank governor have resigned, officials announced on Saturday, as expanding student protests that led Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee have now shifted to targeting more officials appointed under her tenure.
Law Ministry adviser Asif Nazrul announced in a Facebook video that Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan has stepped down after students threatened him with “serious consequences” if he did not. Reuters was unable to reach Hassan for immediate comment.
Adviser in the new caretaker government, Asif Nazrul, appealed for calm, urging protesters not to damage public property.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder also submitted his resignation, but it has not been accepted due to the role’s significance, according to Finance Ministry adviser Salehuddin Ahmed.
Attempts to reach Talukder were unsuccessful. Earlier in the week, four deputy governors resigned after hundreds of bank officials protested against alleged corruption among senior management.
Dhaka University confirmed the resignation of its vice chancellor, A.S.M. Maksud Kamal, amid ongoing unrest.
The university has been the focal point of deadly protests, initially sparked by opposition to government job quotas and later transforming into a broader campaign against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Following the uprising, which claimed around 300 lives, primarily students, Hasina has sought refuge in New Delhi, ending her 15-year tenure as the leader of Bangladesh. Attempts to reach Kamal for comment were unsuccessful.
Following Hasina’s exit, Bangladesh has seen significant changes in its security leadership.
A new police chief has been appointed, along with a new head of the technical intelligence monitoring agency, and several senior army officials have been replaced.
These shifts are part of a broader shake-up within the country’s security apparatus.
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