Supreme Court justice Naima Haider resigns amid ongoing investigation

Justice Naima Haider of the Supreme Court's High Court Division has resigned from her position.

Her resignation letter has been submitted to the president through the Supreme Court administration, reads a press release issued today (9 February) by Supreme Court Public Relations Officer Shafiqul Islam.

According to the press release, justice Haider submitted her resignation on 5 February.

Justice Haider was earlier placed on leave with 12 other judges over allegations of irregularities during the July uprising and siding with cohosts of fascism. Her case is still under investigation by the Supreme Judicial Council.

Based on Supreme Judicial Council reports, the president had removed three High Court judges. After August 2024's political changes, 12 judges were sent on leave, nine of whom are no longer in office (some were sent to forced retirement, some resigned, and some retired voluntarily), while the remaining three hold their positions but are not assigned to bench duties.

Additionally, due to complaints filed with the Supreme Judicial Council, Justice MR Hasan was sent on leave this month. Beyond the 13 judges on leave, two High Court judges are voluntarily absent from duty, including Justice Mamunur Rahman, who has also resigned.

Justice Naima Haider is the daughter of former chief justice Badrul Haider Chowdhury. She studied law at Dhaka University and earned advanced degrees in law from Columbia University, Southern University, Oxford, Berkeley, and London University.

She began her legal career in 1989 at the district courts, became a High Court lawyer in 1993 and an Appellate Division lawyer in 2004. She was appointed an additional High Court judge on 6 June 2009, and became a permanent judge on 6 June 2011.