Justice Naima Haider resigns

Justice Naima Haider of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court has resigned from her post. Her resignation letter has been sent to the president, Supreme Court officials confirmed on Monday, February 9.

The Supreme Court’s public relations officer said Justice Naima Haider submitted her resignation letter, signed on February 5, expressing her intention to step down, through the chief justice to the president. The letter has already been forwarded from the Supreme Court to the president.

Justice Naima Haider is the daughter of former chief justice Badrul Haider Chowdhury. She studied law at the University of Dhaka and obtained higher degrees in law from Columbia University, Southern University, the University of Oxford, Berkeley University and the University of London. She enrolled as a lawyer at the district court in 1989, became an advocate of the High Court in 1993 and of the Appellate Division in 2004. She was appointed as an additional judge of the High Court on June 6, 2009, and became a permanent judge on June 6, 2011.

Justice Naima Haider was among 12 judges sent on leave over allegations of irregularities during the July mass uprising and acting as collaborators of fascism. Her matter is currently under investigation by the Supreme Judicial Council. She resigned amid this situation.

Earlier, based on investigation reports of the Supreme Judicial Council, the president removed three judges of the High Court Division. Following the political change in August last year, 12 High Court judges were sent on leave. Of them, nine are no longer in office, some having been compulsorily retired after investigation, some having resigned voluntarily and others having retired. Three judges remain in post but are not assigned to benches. In addition, Justice M R Hasan was sent on leave this month following the filing of allegations with the Supreme Judicial Council. Apart from the 13 judges sent on leave, two High Court judges are voluntarily absent from their duties, including Justice Mamnun Rahman, who has also recently resigned.