Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque was arrested by Detective Branch (DB) police from his residence in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, on Thursday morning.
DB’s Joint Commissioner Mohammad Nasirul Islam confirmed the arrest, saying, “He was taken into custody from his home shortly after 8:00am. He is being brought to the DB headquarters, and legal action will follow.”
Justice Khairul Haque was sworn in as the 19th Chief Justice of Bangladesh on 30 September 2010. He retired on 17 May 2011 upon reaching the age limit.
The former chief justice has long been a controversial figure in the legal and political arena. In a recent press conference, the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum labelled him as the “chief architect behind the destruction of the judiciary and democracy” and demanded his arrest and trial.
Khairul Haque is best known for delivering the verdict that scrapped the 13th constitutional amendment, which abolished the caretaker government system—a decision that triggered widespread political backlash. Allegations have also been raised that he was appointed by bypassing senior judges and that he enjoyed undue privileges under the Awami League government.
He is further accused of using relief funds for personal medical expenses, administering oaths to controversial judges, restricting the High Court’s authority to grant anticipatory bail, and endorsing the eviction of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence. Accusations of abuse of power also surround his tenure.
During the final phase of the Awami League regime, Khairul Haque served as the chairman of the Law Commission. He resigned from the post on 13 August 2024, following the government’s fall in a popular student and civilian uprising on 5 August.
He had not been seen in public since.
On 18 August 2024, Dhaka Bar Association member Imrul Hasan filed a case against him, accusing him of forgery in relation to the verdict that annulled the caretaker government system. Multiple cases against Khairul Haque are currently pending trial.