Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, a judge of the Appellate Division, has been appointed as the chief justice of Bangladesh's top court, a Bangabhaban official has confirmed.
Justice Siddique, 65, becomes the nation's 23rd chief justice, replacing the retiring Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, reports bdnews24.com.
President Abdul Hamid appointed Justice Siddique as the top judge on Thursday, said the president’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin.
He will be sworn in by the head of state at Bangabhaban on Friday, according to officials.
Born on Sept 26, 1956, Justice Siddique began his journey in the legal profession in 1981 after enrolling as a lawyer in the Dhaka Judge's Court.
He began practising in the High Court Division in 1983 before becoming an advocate of the Appellate Division in 1999.
In 2009, Siddique was permanently appointed to the High Court Division as a judge and in 2013, he became a justice of the Appellate Division.
Justice Siddique has been serving as the chairman of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission since 2015.
His elder brother Abu Bakar Siddique is also a retired judge of the Appellate Division.
Article 96(1) of the Constitution dictates that a chief justice may hold office until the age of 67. Born on Dec 31, 1954, Justice Hossain crosses the age limit this year and officially left office on Thursday.
Justice Hossain’s departure from the bench brought down the number of Appellate Division judges to four - Justices Muhammad Imman Ali, Hasan Foez Siddique, Md Nuruzzaman and Obaidul Hassan.