The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Senior Appellate Division Judge of the Supreme Court MM Ruhul Amin has been appointed the 16th Chief Justice of Bangladesh effective from June 1.

President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed, who appointed him yesterday, is expected to administer the oath of office to the new Chief Justice on June 1 at 10:30am, Bangabhaban sources said.

MM Ruhul Amin, the second most senior judge of the Appellate Division, will hold the office of the Chief Justice till December 23 in 2009. The outgoing Chief Justice will go on retirement on May 31.

The newly appointed Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin was born in Laxmipur on December 23, 1942.

He obtained his Master's degree in History in 1963 and LLB degree in 1966 from Dhaka University. In 1967, he started his career as Assistant Judge in the then East Pakistan.

He was promoted to the rank of a District Judge in 1984. Before being appointed High Court judge on February 10, 1994, he served in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Kishoreganj and Jessore as District Judge.

MM Ruhul Amin was appointed judge of the Appellate Division on July 13, 2003.

He has been serving as the Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission since 2004.

The newly Chief Justice underwent training in "Case Management" at the National Judicial College, US in 1990 and visited several US courts to observe alternative dispute resolution and court administration.

He also visited Sri Lanka, India and Nepal to see for himself the judicial services and salary structure of judges in these countries.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Barrister Shafique Ahmed told reporters that seniority has again been ignored by this appointment and the Association always dislikes supersession.

He said the association would not host a reception for the newly appointed Chief Justice since a decision in this regard was taken earlier.