Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed officially retired.

After serving just over a year and four months, Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed has officially retired today, Saturday, 27 December 2025, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 67.

Justice Ahmed assumed office as the 25th Chief Justice of Bangladesh on 10 August 2024, following the resignation of his predecessor, Justice Obaidul Hasan, in the wake of the political upheaval that saw the Awami League government ousted on 5 August 2024. During his tenure, he presided over key judicial proceedings and contributed to maintaining the stability of the nation’s legal system during a period of transition.

The office of Chief Justice will now pass to Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, who is set to be sworn in as the 26th Chief Justice on Sunday, 28 December 2025. His appointment was officially confirmed through a presidential notification issued by the Ministry of Law on 23 December 2025. The notification cited Article 95(1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, under which the President has the authority to appoint the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury holds an LLB and LLM from the University of Dhaka and furthered his studies in International Law with an LLM from the United Kingdom. He began his legal career in the judicial system as a lawyer in the District Judge’s Court in 1985 and was enrolled as an advocate in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court in 1987. On 27 August 2003, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the High Court Division, becoming a permanent judge two years later. On 12 August 2024, President Mohammad Shahabuddin elevated him to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

The following table summarises the recent Chief Justices of Bangladesh:

Justice Ahmed’s retirement marks the end of a brief but significant tenure, bridging a period of political change and ensuring continuity in the nation’s judiciary. Meanwhile, Justice Chowdhury is expected to focus on strengthening the rule of law and advancing judicial reforms in the coming years.