The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday (May 18, 2023) rejected a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the election of Md Shahabuddin as president of the country. The eight-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order and fined the writ petitioner Advocate MA Aziz Tk one lakh “for wasting the court’s time” by filling an “illogical writ petition.” The other members of the bench are: Justice Md. Nuruzzaman, Justice Obaidul Hassan, Justice Borhanuddin, Justice M. Enayetur Rahim, Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam, Justice Md. Abu Zafor Siddique, Justice Jahangir Hossain. Also read: Supreme Court to conduct judicial activities physically from Wednesday Advocate MA Aziz Khan stood for the petitioner while Attorney General MA Amin Uddin represented the state. On March 7, a writ petition was filed challenging the legality of the process for electing Md Shahabuddin as president and publication of the gazette notification by the Election Commission. The writ petition also sought a stay order of the operation of the gazette notification issued by the Election Commission. On March 15, the High Court rejected the writ petition. On March 21, an appeal petition was filed against the HC order that has rejected the writ petition. Read more: Lawyers can play a big role to ensure good governance: President

Mohammed Shahabuddin was on Monday sworn in as the 22nd President of Bangladesh in a ceremony at Bangabhaban. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oath at 11 am. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, cabinet members and scores of distinguished guests attended the event. Family members of the new president, including his wife Dr Rebecca Sultana, attended the function. Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, members of the parliament, chief election commissioner, Supreme Court judges, and political leaders, chiefs of the three services, diplomats, senior journalists, and high-ranking civil and military officials witnessed the event. Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain conducted the programme. Shahbuddin succeeds Md Abdul Hamid whose second successive term ended on Sunday. Shahabuddin (73) was elected as president unopposed on February 13 this year as a candidate of the ruling Awami League. Also read: Xi Jinping sends letter to Shahabuddin, stands ready to work with the Bangladeshi president During his student life, he served as an activist and president of Pabna Chhatra League and later took over the responsibility of Pabna Jubo League as its president. In 1971, he was the convenor of Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad of Pabna and also actively participated in the Liberation War. He was imprisoned following the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. He was later appointed as the Law Ministry's coordinator in the Bangabandhu assassination case. In 1982, he joined the BCS (Judicial) Department, and in 1995, he was elected general secretary of the Judicial Service Association. He also served as the chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which investigated murders, rapes, thefts and other crimes by BNP-Jamaat alliance's activists and leaders following the 2001 general election. Also read: Md Shahabuddin declared President-elect of Bangladesh He also worked as a district and sessions judge before retiring in 2006. He was a commissioner at the Anti-Corruption Commission from 2011 to 2016. Shahabuddin's wife, Rebecca Sultana, is a former joint secretary of the government.

Awami League Advisory Council member Md Shahabuddin Chuppu is set to become the next President of Bangladesh as the ruling party on Sunday nominated him as the party's presidential candidate. An Awami League team, led by the party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader, submitted the nomination paper to the Election Commission. “There is no reaction now.  This is Almighty Allah’s will,” Shahabuddin told reporters after submission of the nomination paper at the Election Commission. Shahabuddin, a retired district and sessions judge, served as a commissioner at the Anti-Corruption Commission. “Two applications have been submitted to the office of the Chief Election Commissioner and Presidential Election Officer at 11:00am and 11:05am for the same person. These two applications will be scrutinized tomorrow (Monday) at 1pm. The chief election officer will inform you tomorrow after scrutinizing the nomination papers,”said Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam.