Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman named as new chief of Bangladesh Army

His three-year term in the post will begin Jun 23

Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, who has been serving as the chief of general staff, has been appointed as the next chief of the Bangladesh Army.

He will be promoted to the rank of general and begin his three-year term in the post starting Jun 23.

The Ministry of Defence has issued the appointment order, the ISPR said in a statement on Tuesday.

Waker’s father-in-law, the late Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman, served as the chief of Bangladesh’s Army from 1997 to 2000.

Waker will take over from SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, who started his term as chief of army staff on Jun 24, 2021.

Waker began his duties as chief of general staff of the Bangladesh Army on Jan 1, 2024.

An alumnus of the Bangladesh Military Academy, he was commissioned in the infantry corps in 1985, the ISPR said in a press release.

Over three and a half decades, Waker has held key posts in military command, staff, and instruction.

Waker commanded an infantry battalion, the only independent infantry brigade of the 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. He served as the military secretary in Army Headquarters. Before joining as the CGS of the Bangladesh Army, he performed as principal staff officer at the Armed Forces Division under the Prime Minister’s Office.

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 Bangladesh and a 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 his appointment as principal staff officer, he also headed the ‘Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention’ as chairman. Under the Blue Helmet, Waker completed two tours of duty as an observer and staff in UNAVEM (Angola) and UNMIL (Liberia) respectively. As the CGS of the Bangladesh Army, he is responsible for the military operations, military intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs, budget, and many other affairs of the agency.

He was awarded the coveted ‘Army Medal of Glory (SGP)’ and Extraordinary Service Medal (OSP) for his contributions to the modernisation of the army.

He is married to Sarahnaz Kamalika Zaman. The couple has two daughters - Samiha Raisa Zaman and Shayeera Ibnat Zaman.