The president has removed High Court judge Khizir Hayat following the Supreme Judicial Council鈥檚 recommendation over allegations of misconduct.
The law ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard on Wednesday saying that the president removed Justice Khizir Hayat on March 18.
The misconduct for which Khizir Hayat was removed was not published.
Only the president, Supreme Judicial Council, and the concerned judge are aware of the specific allegations, Supreme Court Bar Association president AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said.
Khizir Hayat is among the 12 judges against whom the president in early January ordered to carry out an inquiry by the Supreme Judicial Council for their alleged involvement in misconduct.
With Khizir Hayat鈥檚 removal, a total of six judges have either been removed or resigned through the SJC process.
Of the remaining five judges, Justice Shahed Nuruddin resigned and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das retired while under SJC inquiry.
The interim government also did not retain additional High Court judges SM Maud Hossain Dolan and Md Aminul Islam, both among the 12 judges under scrutiny.
鈥榃hy only one? There are many,鈥� SCBA president AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said after the removal of Justice Khizir Hayat, referring to the matter of other judges鈥� alleged involvement in controversial rulings.
On August 6, 2024, the SCBA demanded the removal of judges accused of delivering verdicts under the influence of the Awami League regime within two weeks. The association also urged the accused judges to resign voluntarily.
The government, however, took no action, Khokon said.
Khizir Hayat was appointed as an additional High Court judge on May 31, 2018, when the Awami League was in power. His position was regularised in 2020.
He was among 12 High Court judges barred from judicial duties on October 21, 2024 following student protests accusing them of political bias during Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 15-year rule.
The six remaining judges under SJC review include Justice Naima Haider, Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif, Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar, Justice SM Maniruzzaman, Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman and Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman.
In November 2024, three High Court judges鈥擩ustice Salma Masud Chowdhury, Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque, and Justice AKM Zahirul Hoque鈥攔esigned after being barred from judicial duties for five years due to allegations of misconduct.