Dhaka Bureau: General Walker-uz-Zaman has taken charge as the new army chief. This information was informed in a circular of the Directorate of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday (June 23).
Waqar-uz- Zaman has replaced the recently retired former Army Chief General, Shafiuddin Ahmed. He will serve as the army chief for the next three years. Earlier, on June 11, a notification by the Ministry of Defense announced the appointment of Waqar-uz-Zaman as the Army Chief.
New army chief Waqar-uz-Zaman’s father-in-law, Mustafizur Rahman, a valiant freedom fighter, also led the army once (1997–2000).
Waqar-uz-Zaman, son of Sherpur, was commissioned in the infantry corps of the Bangladesh Army on December 20, 1985, through the 13th long-term course. He commanded an infantry battalion, an infantry brigade, and an infantry division during his 39-year-long military career. He has served in various positions in the School of Infantry and Tactics and Army Headquarters.
Waqar-uz-Zaman was promoted to CGS earlier this year from the charge of Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces. Before that, Waqar-uz-Zaman was promoted from Major General to Lieutenant General in November 2020. It was then that he was promoted to PSO from the post of Military Secretary of Army Headquarters.
Waqar-uz- Zaman was appointed Military Secretary of the Army Headquarters in February 2017. Before that, he commanded the 9th Infantry Division. He was once the principal staff officer in the Prime Minister’s Office. I also served in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Angola and Liberia as a senior operations officer.
Commissioned in the Army’s East Bengal Regiment, Walker-uz-Zaman graduated from the Defense Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur, and the Joint Services Command and Staff College, UK. Later, he received the degrees of ‘Masters of Defense Studies’ from National University and ‘Masters of Arts in Defense Studies’ from King’s College, UK.
