President accepts Justice Akhtaruzzaman’s resignation

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has accepted the resignation letter of Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman, a High Court Division judge, who sentenced BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two corruption cases in 2018.

A press release issued by the Supreme Court administration on Friday said the President accepted the resignation latter on September 7.

Earlier on August 31 this year, Justice Akhtaruzzaman submitted his resignation letter to the President through Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, while the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) was conducting an inquiry into alleged misconduct done by this judge.

Justice Akhtaruzzaman sentenced BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two corruption cases in 2018, when he was a lower court judge. However, the apex court recently cleared BNP Chairperson from both the convictions.

Akhtaruzzaman was among 12 High Court judges barred from judicial proceedings on October 16 last year.

The action followed mass protests on the SC premises on that day, where protesters, mostly students, demanded the removal of what they described as "pro-Awami League fascist judges".

The 12 judges are Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan, Justice Naima Haider, Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif, Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar, Justice S M Maniruzzaman, Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman, Justice Khizir Hayat, Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman, Justice Md Aminul Islam, Justice S M Masud Hossain Dolon, Justice Shahed Nuruddin and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das.

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