Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has demanded that Syed Refaat Ahmed be appointed chief justice.
He made this demand during a press conference in front of the High Court while staging a sit-in demanding the resignation of judges.
The protesters had initially demanded that Syed Refaat Ahmed be appointed as chief justice by Saturday evening. They have now extended the time and demanded that he be appointed by 9am on Sunday.
While talking to Dhaka Tribune, protest coordinator Hasnat Abdullah said: "We proposed his name because he is an experienced judge and didn't take advantage of this 16-year-long fascist rule. For this reason, we feel that he could be a non-biased option."
He said: "Through the blood of students and the public, we have forced Sheikh Hasina to resign. This is our initial victory. When she fled the country, a group again became active in destabilizing it. A global conspiracy has begun. We will thwart any conspiracy, both domestic and international."
He further said: "We see that today when an interim government has been formed, the chief justice tried to discredit this government through a judicial coup. If we can not establish this judiciary based on justice, then we will never be able to establish the justice we dream of. Until we can establish the High Court based on justice, we will not leave the streets."
"In light of our demands, the chief justice has resigned, and Ashfaq Ahmed has been appointed as the acting chief justice. Regrettably, he has served Sheikh Hasina for the past 15 years. For the past 15 years, he has collaborated with the oppression. Thus, we reject this appointment. Our demand is to remove him and appoint Syed Rifat Ahmed as the chief justice by 6pm on Saturday."
Coordinator Bakar Majumdar announced a three-point demand, saying, "Within the next 24 hours, the judiciary needs to be reorganized. We do not want Sheikh Hasina's police administration. The police must be disarmed and restructured to serve the people within 24 hours."
He said: "Our third demand addresses a faction trying to undermine our movement by attacking minorities nationwide. However, the protesting students oppose these attacks. We have noted our minority brothers' calls for security. We urge authorities to meet with them within the next 24 hours, acknowledge their needs, and guarantee their safety."