The Capstone Course 2025/2, an intensive three-week strategic leadership programme held from 13 July to 31 July 2025, concluded on Thursday at the National Defence College (NDC), Mirpur Cantonment.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army, graced the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest and distributed certificates among the Capstone Fellows, says an ISPR media release.
This session of the Capstone Course brought together 45 distinguished Fellows, including senior military officers, bureaucrats, senior judges, eminent academicians, prominent doctors, engineers, and scientists, senior officials from government and non-government organizations, diplomats, journalists, and corporate leaders.
In his address, General Waker-Uz-Zaman extended warm congratulations to the Fellows for completing the intellectually demanding course.
He highlighted the importance of strategic leadership in navigating the contemporary challenges of nation-building, emphasizing the need for dynamic, reform-minded leaders who can steer the country’s institutions toward greater efficiency and inclusivity.
Calling upon the Fellows to lead by example, he urged them to embrace their roles in shaping a prosperous and resilient Bangladesh, capable of meeting the hopes and aspirations of its people.
Reflecting on the objectives of the Capstone Course, the chief guest acknowledged the platform’s vital role in creating a convergence of ideas among the country’s rising thought leaders.
He praised the collaborative spirit and diversity of insights generated during the course, which he believes will leave a lasting impact on the Fellows’ professional and national contributions.
He underscored that in a rapidly changing global landscape - characterised by shifting geopolitics, technological disruption, and evolving national challenges - platforms like the Capstone Course are critical in cultivating strategic insight, collaboration, and informed leadership.
Lieutenant General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, Commandant of NDC, emphasised the significance of informed dialogue and consensus-building in areas of national importance.
He noted that the Fellows' enthusiastic engagement throughout the course has strengthened the network of strategic thinkers in Bangladesh and furthered the College’s mission to develop visionary leadership. The Fellows' active, thoughtful, and respectful engagement throughout the course has broadened strategic understanding and strengthened a national network of cross-sectoral leadership.
The Capstone Course, one of the flagship programmes of the National Defence College, is designed to build strategic awareness, foster critical thinking, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, and develop a shared understanding of national security and development issues across various spheres of leadership in Bangladesh.
The closing ceremony was attended by senior military and civil officials, faculty and staff from National Defence College, and dignitaries from the Armed Forces and other national institutions.