DHAKA, Aug 12, 2024 (BSS) - Newly appointed Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed today said the students have sparked a great awakening against discrimination.

"In the past, injustice was considered as justice. The students have changed that. They have sparked a great awakening against discrimination. I will carry out the responsibility that has been bestowed on my shoulders as a result of the revolution of the students," he said.

The chief justice said these in response to the felicitation accorded to him by Attorney General's office and Supreme Court Bar Association.

Appellate Division's Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and judges of the High Court Division and apex court lawyers were present on the occasion.

Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed right now we are standing on the ruins and we have to make a fresh start from here, adding, "Stern action will now be taken against any unjust from now on. We would carry out our responsibility with honesty in respect of the victory attained through unlimited sacrifices made by the students and common people."

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman in his speech said he hopes that the newly appointed Chief Justice (Syed Refaat Ahmed) will not deviate as the guardian of the constitution in protecting people's rights and establish democracy in the country.

"You are the first chief justice in the independent and sovereign Bangladesh achieved through the second war of liberation. It is not like that only the president gave you the appointment, there is a heroic tale of timeless immortal poetry of streets stained by the bloods of hundreds of students behind your appointment. It is a rare event in world history," he said.

"This Bangladesh reflects the language of protest coming from the sobbing of destitution of many families, curse of many of those victims, who have been accused in many fake cases even after their deaths, anguish of the families of those people, who have fell victim to extrajudicial killings in more than last one decade. All those martyrs including Abu Sayeed, Mugdho and Faraz had one expectation that the guardianship of Supreme Court under your leadership gets revealed. I hope that dream will get fulfilled under your leadership," Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman added.

The attorney general further said he hopes that judiciary gets free of syndicate and a clean-up campaign is conducted in Supreme Court administration to get rid of all the corruption.

Earlier the chief justice went to National Memorial in Savar and paid his homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War around 7am.