Lt General SM Shafiuddin named new army chief

Lt Gen SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, quartermaster general of Bangladesh Army, will be the chief of the force for the next three years.

"Bangladesh Army's BA-2496 Lieutenant General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, OSP, NDU, PSC, quartermaster general, has been appointed the new chief of Bangladesh Army from June 24 afternoon," a defence ministry gazette said.

He will also be promoted to the rank of general that day, said the gazette, signed by a deputy secretary.

Shafiuddin was born in Khulna. He was commissioned into the army in the 9th Bangladesh Military Academy Long Course on December 23, 1983 in the infantry corps.

In 2012, he became the general officer commanding of the 19th Infantry Division.

In December last year, Ahmed was appointed as the quartermaster general after he served as the GOC of the Army Training and Doctrine Command.

In his long and illustrious career, Lt Gen Shafiuddin has also served as a director general of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies and a senior directing staff member of the National Defence College. He has also played a key role in UN peacekeeping missions as deputy force commander in the Central African Republic.

He will replace current army chief Gen Aziz Ahmed.

Gen Aziz took over the command of Bangladesh Army as the 16th Chief of Army Staff on June 25, 2018.