Shafiuddin Ahmed SBP, OSP | |
|---|---|
শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ | |
.jpg) Ahmed in 2022 | |
| 17thChief of Army Staff | |
| In office 24 June 2021 (2021-06-24) – 23 June 2024 | |
| President | |
| Prime Minister | Sheikh Hasina |
| Preceded by | Aziz Ahmed |
| Succeeded by | Waker-Uz-Zaman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1963-12-01)1 December 1963 (age 62) |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Spouse | Noorjahan Ahmed |
| Alma mater | |
| Awards |  Senabahini Padak (SBP) Oshamanno Sheba Padak(OSP) Independence Day Award |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Bangladesh |
| Branch/service |  Bangladesh Army |
| Years of service | 1983–2024 |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit | East Bengal Regiment |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Service number | BA-2496[3] |
Sheikh Mohammad Shafiuddin Ahmed[a][b] (born 1 December 1963)[1] is a retired Bangladeshifour star general who waschief of army staff of theBangladesh Army.[4][5] He served as thequartermaster general and director of military training at the Bangladesh Army Headquarters. He also served as director general ofBangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies,[6] and commanded an infantrybrigade and furthermore an infantrydivision.[7][8]
Ahmed was born on 1 December 1963 into aBengali Muslim family ofSheikhs in the village of Karfa inLohagara subdivision ofNarail Upazila, then inJessore District ofEast Pakistan.[9][2] His father, Sheikh Mohammad Rokon Uddin Ahmed was a professor ofKhulna Polytechnic Institute whom participated inBangladesh Liberation War.
Ahmed finished high school fromJhenidah Cadet College. Soon after, he was commissioned in the 4thEast Bengal Regiment ofBangladesh Army on 23 December 1983 in the 9thBMA Long Course.[3][10][7][11] He also graduated fromDefence Services Command and Staff College, attended International Symposium Course and Defence and Strategic Studies Course inPLA National Defence University and furthermore obtained post graduate degrees fromNational Defense University, Washington DC. He attained three master's degrees which focuses on defence studies (MDS) fromNational University, Bangladesh,Master of Business Administration (MBA) fromUniversity of Dhaka and was awardedMaster of Philosophy (MPhil) on development of security studies fromBangladesh University of Professionals. He completed his PhD degree on development of security studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals on 28 August 2021.[12]
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After commission, Ahmed started his military career in thecounter-insurgency operation area of Chittagong Hill Tracts.[6] He served as battalion commander at Bangladesh Military Academy, and commanded one infantry battalion and also a military police unit. As brigadier general, Ahmed commanded an infantry brigade and served as the director of military training at the general staff branch of army headquarters. He was ameliorated to major general in 2012 and appointed as general officer commanding19th infantry division and area commanderGhatail Area.[13][14] Ahmed also served as doctrine commander atBangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies as the director general,National Defence College as the senior directing staff and furthermore commander of logistics area.
On 25 August 2019, he was promoted tolieutenant general and made the general officer commanding ofARTDOC.[10] He was appointed as the 6thcolonel commandant of Corps of Military Police on 19 October 2020 making him the first three-star general to uphold the position. In December 2020, he was reassigned to army headquarters and designated asquartermaster general of theBangladesh Army, succeeding him by lieutenant generalMatiur Rahman atARTDOC.[8][13]
Ahmed served inUnited Nations peacekeeping twice. First, underUNSC in Mozambique, he served inONUMOZ from 1993 to 1994. Then again as a deputy force commander ofMINUSCA in theCentral African Republic from 2014 to 2016 and received citations by SRSG for outstanding performance.[15]
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On 24 June 2021, Ahmed was upgraded to general and was appointed as 17thchief of army staff succeeding generalAziz Ahmed.[5][4]
As army chief, Ahmed's other roles include chairing the Board of Directors ofBangladesh Machine Tools Factory,Bangladesh Diesel Plant Limited,Trust Bank Limited, Army Welfare Trust, and furthermore the Boards of Trustees ofSena Kalyan Sangstha and theBangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology.[16] He was the president ofBangladesh Olympic Association andBangladesh Golf Federation and also acted as the president of the executive committee ofKurmitola Golf Club. He was also the vice chairman of the governing body of the National Defence College and Defence Services Command & Staff College, Council of theMilitary Institute of Science and Technology.[2]
As army chief, he visited Turkey to enhance defence cooperation and laid the foundation for further purchases of Turkish weapons.[17] He attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2024.[18] After the beginning of theMyanmar Civil War, he asserted that the army was ready to respond to any threats from Myanmar.[19] During the2024 election, he deployed troops to maintain law and order.[20]
Ahmed went to leave per retirement on 23 June 2024 succeeded by GeneralWaker-Uz-Zaman as chief of army staff. He was the last general of theFourth Hasina ministry.
Shafiuddin Ahmed is married to Noorjahan Ahmed, and has two daughters.[2]
Footnotes
Citations
Media related toSM Shafiuddin Ahmed at Wikimedia Commons| Military offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Chief of Army Staff 24 June 2021 – 23 June 2024 | Succeeded by |