Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, OSP, SGP, psc has been promoted to the rank of General and appointed as the new Chief of Army Staff for the Bangladesh Army, effective June 23, 2024. The Ministry of Defence confirmed this in a press release issued on Tuesday. He will serve a three-year term as the army chief.

The announcement follows the retirement of General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, OSP, NDU, psc, who will complete his tenure on June 23, 2024.

Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, currently serving as the Chief of General Staff of the Bangladesh Army, has had a distinguished military career spanning more than three and a half decades. An alumnus of the Bangladesh Military Academy, he was commissioned in the Corps of Infantry on December 20, 1985.

Throughout his career, Lieutenant General Waker has held numerous key command, staff, and instructional positions. He commanded an infantry battalion, the only independent infantry brigade of the Bangladesh Army, and an infantry division. His key staff appointments included roles at an infantry brigade, the School of Infantry and Tactics, and Army Headquarters. He also served as a distinguished instructor at the School of Infantry and Tactics, the Non-commissioned Officers’ Academy, and the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training.

Lieutenant General Waker served as the Military Secretary at Army Headquarters and as the Principal Staff Officer of the Prime Minister at the Armed Forces Division. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Command and Staff College in Mirpur and the Joint Services Command and Staff College in the UK. He holds a Master’s degree in Defence Studies from the National University of Bangladesh and a Master of Arts in Defence Studies from King’s College, University of London.

In his role as Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Waker oversees military operations, intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs, and budget management. He has been actively involved in UN peacekeeping affairs and has served as a Gender Champion and Gender Advocate for Bangladesh.

Lieutenant General Waker commanded the National Victory Day Parade for three consecutive years and has been awarded the Army Medal of Glory (SGP) and Extraordinary Service Medal (OSP) for his significant contributions to the modernization of the army. He is married to Sarahnaz Kamalika Zaman and has two daughters, Samiha Raisa Zaman and Shayeera Ibnat Zaman.