The government yesterday elevated four Commodores to the rank of Rear Admiral and 16 Captains to the post of Commodore in a large scale promotion in Bangladesh Navy.
The promoted Commodores are: Md Akthar Habib, Md Anwarul Islam, Abu Shaker Md Abdul Baten and Riazuddin Ahmed.
The ranks of Akthar Habib, now Area Commander of Chittagong, and Anwarul Islam, now a faculty in National Defence College, have been upgraded to Real Admiral from Commodore.
Abu Shaker, who is now Dean of Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), has been transferred to Bangabandhu Maritime University in Chittagong as its vice chancellor.
Riazuddin Ahmed, now managing director of Khulna Shipyard, will return to the Naval Headquarters as its Principal Staff Officer.
The Captains who got commission in the rank of Commodore are: Md Abidur Rahman, Bashiruddin Ahmed, Md Abu Ashraf, Md Mozammel Haque, Abdul Kalam Md Faruque Hassan, M Nazmul Hassan, Md Mahbub ul Islam, Md Rashed Ali, Md Najmul Karim Kislu, Md Shahjahan, Md Shafiul Islam, Md Jahangir Alam, Abu Naser Md Rezaul Huq, Syed Salahuddin Ahmed, Md Lokmanur Rahman and Md Ziauddin Alamgir.
Navy Chief Vice Admiral Farid Habib adorned the newly promoted officers with the badges of rank yesterday.
Asked about such major promotions in the Navy, a naval officer said the government has taken the move as it attaches more importance to the force which has been expanding gradually.
Recently, the Navy and the Air Force have demanded the government makes the posts of the two forces equivalent to that of the Army. The government is yet to decide on the demand.