Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman was adorned with the new rank badge of General in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban on Sunday morning.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan adorned the Army Chief with the rank badge of General.
Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon confirmed the matter to BSS.
After the ceremony, he said, the premier congratulated the new army chief by presenting a bouquet and wished him success.
The army chief also greeted the prime minister by presenting a bouquet and sought her blessing.
Prime Minister’s Security Affairs Adviser Major General (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shameem, Defense Secretary Md Ashraf Uddin, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Md Nayeemul Islam Khan, among others, were present.
General Waker-Uz-Zaman replaced former Army Chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed.
The new Army chief has been appointed as the chief of army staff for three years.
Waker-Uz-Zaman biography
Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, OSP, SGP, psc assumed the duties of Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army on January 1, 2024.
An alumnus of Bangladesh Military Academy, the General was commissioned in the Corps of Infantry on 20 December 1985.
Having an illustrious and colourful career of more than three and half decades, Lieutenant General Waker brings with him an enormous amount of 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 BD 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 the 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 BD Army, he performed as Principal Staff Officer of the Prime Minister at the Armed Forces Division under the 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 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 BD Army, he is responsible for the military operations, military intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs, budget, and many other affairs of the BD 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.
