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S. M. Shafiuddin Ahmed

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Shafiuddin Ahmed
SBP, OSP
শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ
SM Shafiuddin Ahmed
Ahmed in 2022
17th Chief of Army Staff
In office
24 June 2021 (2021-06-24) – 23 June 2024
President
Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina
Preceded byAziz Ahmed
Succeeded byWaker-uz-Zaman
Personal details
Born (1963-12-01) 1 December 1963 (age 61)
Narail, East Pakistan, Pakistan[1][2]
NationalityBangladeshi
SpouseNoorjahan Ahmed
Alma mater
Military Training
Awards Senabahini Padak (SBP)
Oshamanno Sheba Padak(OSP)
Independence Day Award
Military service
Allegiance Bangladesh
Branch/service Bangladesh Army
Years of service1983–2024
Rank General
UnitEast Bengal Regiment
Commands
Battles/wars
Service numberBA-2496[3]

Sheikh Mohammad Shafiuddin Ahmed [a][b] (born 1 December 1963)[1] is a retired Bangladeshi four star general who was chief of army staff of the Bangladesh Army.[4][5] He served as the antecedent quartermaster general and director of military training at army headquarters as prior his staff appointments. He has also served as director general of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies,[6] and commanded an infantry brigade and furthermore an infantry division.[7][8]

Early life and education

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Ahmed was born on 1 December 1963 into a Bengali Muslim family of Sheikhs in the village of Karfa in Lohagara subdivision of Narail Upazila, then in Jessore District of East Pakistan.[9][2] His father, Sheikh Mohammad Rokon Uddin Ahmed was a professor of Khulna Polytechnic Institute whom participated in Bangladesh Liberation War.

Ahmed finished high school from Jhenidah Cadet College. Soon after, he was commissioned in the 4th East Bengal Regiment of Bangladesh Army on 23 December 1983 in the 9th BMA Long Course.[3][10][7][11] He also graduated from Defence Services Command and Staff College, attended International Symposium Course and Defence and Strategic Studies Course in PLA National Defence University and furthermore obtained post graduate degrees from National Defense University, Washington DC. He attained three master's degrees which focuses on defence studies (MDS) from National University, Bangladesh, Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Dhaka and was awarded Master of Philosophy (MPhil) on development of security studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals. He completed his PhD degree on development of security studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals on 28 August 2021.[12]

Military career

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After commission, Ahmed started his military career in the counter-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 commanding 19th infantry division and area commander Ghatail Area.[13][14] Ahmed also served as doctrine commander at Bangladesh 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 to lieutenant general and made the general officer commanding of ARTDOC.[10] He was appointed as the 6th colonel 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 as quartermaster general of the Bangladesh Army, succeeding him by lieutenant general Matiur Rahman at ARTDOC.[8][13]

United Nations peacekeeping missions

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Ahmed served in United Nations peacekeeping twice. First, under UNSC in Mozambique, he served in ONUMOZ from 1993 to 1994. Then again as a deputy force commander of MINUSCA in the Central African Republic from 2014 to 2016 and received citations by SRSG for outstanding performance.[15]

As Chief of Army Staff

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General Ahmed with then Director of Army National Guard General Daniel R. Hokanson and former adjutant general of Oregon National Guard Major General Michael E. Stencel at the Pentagon on 20 April 2022.

On 24 June 2021, Ahmed was upgraded to general and was appointed as 17th chief of army staff succeeding general Aziz Ahmed.[5][4]

as army chief, Ahmed's other roles include chairing the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory, Bangladesh Diesel Plant Limited, Trust Bank Limited, Army Welfare Trust, and furthermore the Boards of Trustees of Sena Kalyan Sangstha and the Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology.[16] He was the president of Bangladesh Olympic Association and Bangladesh Golf Federation and also acted as the president of the executive committee of Kurmitola 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 the Military Institute of Science and Technology.[2] Ahmed went to leave per retirement on 23 June 2024 succeding him by general Waker-Uz-Zaman as chief of army staff. He was the last general of Fourth Hasina ministry.

Personal life

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Shafiuddin Ahmed is married to Noorjahan Ahmed, and has two daughters.[2]

References

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Footnotes

  1. ^ Bengali: শেখ মোহাম্মদ শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ
  2. ^ SBP, OSP, ndc, psc, PhD

Citations

  1. ^ a b "New Chief of Army Staff biography". Daily Sun (Bangladesh). 25 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Chief of Army Staff". Bangladesh Army. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Lt General SM Shafiuddin named new army chief". The Daily Star. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b "New army chief SM Shafiuddin adorned with rank badge of General". Dhaka Tribune. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Bangladesh names SM Shafiuddin Ahmed as new army chief". bdnews24.com. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b নবনিযুক্ত সেনাবাহিনী প্রধানের দায়িত্বভার গ্রহণ [Assuming charge, the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff]. Inter-Services Public Relations (in Bengali). 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  7. ^ a b লেফটেন্যান্ট জেনারেল হলেন এস এম শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ [The Lieutenant General is SM Shafuddin Ahmed]. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 25 August 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Major shuffle in the top brass of Bangladesh Army". bdnews24.com. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  9. ^ "New Chief of Army Staff biography". Daily Sun. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Maj Gen Shafiuddin promoted to Lieutenant General". United News of Bangladesh. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  11. ^ Rashid, Muktadir (10 June 2021). "Lt Gen SM Shafiuddin Ahmed made new chief of Bangladesh Army". New Age. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  12. ^ সেনানিবাসে কর্মব্যস্ত সময় পার করেছেন সেনাবাহিনী প্রধান [The army chief has spent a busy time in the cantonment]. Inter-Services Public Relations (in Bengali). 10 September 2021. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  13. ^ a b লে. জেনারেল হলেন শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ [The Lt General is SM Shafiuddin Ahmed]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 26 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  14. ^ লে. জেনারেল হলেন এস এম শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ [The Lt. General is SM Shafiuddin Ahmed]. Daily Naya Diganta (in Bengali). 25 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  15. ^ মেজর জেনারেল এস এম শফিউদ্দিন আহমেদ এর লেফটেন্যান্ট জেনারেল পদে পদোন্নতি লাভ [Major General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General]. Inter-Services Public Relations (in Bengali). 25 August 2019. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  16. ^ "Board of Trustees". Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
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Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Army Staff
24 June 2021 – 23 June 2024
Succeeded by