Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been appointed as the new Army Chief of Bangladesh, effective June 23, 2024. With this appointment, he will be promoted to the rank of General, as confirmed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday (June 11, 2024). His tenure as Army Chief will last for three years. He will replace General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, who took over the Command of Bangladesh Army as the 17th Chief of Army Staff on 24 June 2021 and will complete his tenure on June 23, 2024. An alumnus of Bangladesh Military Academy, he was commissioned in the Corps of Infantry on December 20, 1985. Having an illustrious career of more than three and a half decades, Lieutenant General Waker brings with him enormous experience of holding key command, staff and instructional appointments. In his distinguished military career, Lieutenant General Waker commanded an Infantry Battalion, the only Independent Infantry Brigade of Bangladesh Army and an Infantry Division. His key staff appointments include staff officer at an Infantry Brigade, School of Infantry and Tactics and Army Headquarters. He was a distinguished instructor at ‘School of Infantry and Tactics’, ‘Non-commissioned Officers’ Academy’ and Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training’. Lieutenant General Waker served as the Military Secretary in Army Headquarters. Prior to joining as the CGS of Bangladesh Army, he performed as Principal Staff Officer of the Prime Minister at Armed Forces Division under Prime Minister’s Office. Lieutenant General Waker is an alumnus of the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur and Joint Services Command and Staff College, UK. He holds a Master’s degree in Defence Studies from National University of Bangladesh and Master of Arts in Defence Studies from King’s College, University of London. As the head of the Armed Forces Division, he was directly involved with the UN Peacekeeping Affairs of Bangladesh Armed Forces. He was also nominated as a Gender Champion and Gender Advocate of Bangladesh for UN Peacekeeping Affairs. By virtue of his appointment as Principal Staff Officer, he also headed the ‘Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention’ as Chairman. Under the Blue Helmet, Lieutenant General Waker completed two tours of duty as observer and staff in UNAVEM (Angola) and UNMIL (Liberia) respectively. As the CGS of the Bangladesh Army, he has been responsible for the military operations, military intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs, budget, and many other affairs of the army. Lieutenant General Waker had the rare privilege of commanding the National Victory Day Parade for three consecutive times. He was awarded the coveted ‘Army Medal of Glory (SGP)’ and Extraordinary Service Medal (OSP) for his remarkable contributions in the modernization of the army. He frequents as a keynote speaker in different seminars and symposiums both at home and abroad. He enjoys games and sports. He is happily married to Sarahnaz Kamalika Zaman and blessed with two daughters: Samiha Raisa Zaman and Shayeera Ibnat Zaman.

Bangladesh Army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed has vowed to bridge the gap between the military and the media. “After taking charge as the Army Chief, I told the Prime Minister that there should be no gap between the Army and the public or the media. I feel we can all work together," he told defense journalists last week. "Media management is actually part of the Army training,” he said during an interaction with members of the Defense Journalists Association of Bangladesh on the sidelines of the Army's winter exercise in Savar. Blaming the media for sometimes creating a rift by putting out "embarassing" news about the Army, the General said, "We will help each other." READ: Army chief Gen Shafiuddin returns after 2-day UAE visit A media cell is already there at the Army headquarters and it will work with the defence journalists, he said. "The Army is prepared to perform any duties as per the directives of the government." READ: Army chief Gen Shafiuddin leaves for 2-day UAE visit On the exercise, the director of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, Army Headquarters, Brig Gen Mamun Ur Rashid said, “Our motto is 'hard training, easy war’."

Bangladesh Army chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed on Monday morning left for the UAE on a two-day official visit. General Shafiuddin will hold bilateral meetings with the UAE Chief of Army Staff and discuss bilateral relations and mutual cooperation between the armies of the two countries during the visit, the Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate said in a statement. Read:Army Chief General Shafiuddin off to S Korea General Shafiuddin will also attend the coveted International Dubai Air Show-2021 in the UAE capital. The Army Chief is scheduled to return home November 18, the directorate said.

Visiting Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane made a courtesy call on Bangladesh Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed at the Army Headquarters of Dhaka Cantonment on Thursday. During the meeting, they discussed various issues related to the existing good relations between the armed forces of the two countries and mutual cooperation in the future. Issues related to the implementation of the Border Road Organization, training of Army pilots, exchange of defense experts and trainers, mutual defense cooperation got priority during the discussion, says an Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) media release. Also read: Indian Army chief arrives in Bangladesh General Aziz expressed gratitude for India's commendable cooperation in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. He also hoped that India would be beside Bangladesh in resolving the Rohingya crisis. Earlier, General Naravane paid tributes to the members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces who made supreme sacrifices during the Liberation War of 1971, by laying a wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban in Dhaka Cantonment. Also read: India offers Covid vaccine for Bangladesh army Later, the Indian Army Chief was then given a "Guard of Honor" by a smart team of the Bangladesh Army at Senakunja. Then General Naravane planted  a sapling at Senakunja. Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane arrived in Dhaka on Thursday on a five-day visit. The Indian Army chief is accompanied by his wife Veena Naravane and a two-member delegation.

Bangladesh Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed on Tuesday said the recent report of AL Jazeera is completely ill-motivated.

The United Nations has appreciated the professionalism, discipline, dedication and bravery of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers deployed in different UN peacekeeping missions.