General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed takes over as new army chief

General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed has taken over as the new chief of army staff.

General Aziz Ahmed, the outgoing army chief, formally handed over charge to him on Thursday, according to a media release of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

After assuming office, the newly-appointed army chief placed floral wreaths at Shikha Onirban and paid tribute to the soldiers who had sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War.

Later, a contingent of the army presented General Shafiuddin a guard of honour at Senakunja in the capital, following which he planted a sapling there.

Earlier in the day, the new army chief was adorned with the rank badge of a general in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban.

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“Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan adorned the new army chief with the rank badge of general," PM's Assistant Press Secretary MM Emrul Kayas told UNB.

After the ceremony, the prime minister congratulated the new army chief by presenting him a bouquet and wishing him success, he said.

In turn, General Shafiuddin Ahmed greeted the prime minister by presenting a bouquet to her. 

On June 10, SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, then quartermaster general of the Bangladesh Army, was named the new chief of army staff for three years with effect from June 24.

Shafiuddin was commissioned into the army in the 9th Bangladesh Military Academy Long Course on December 23, 1983 in the infantry corps.

In his career, Shafiuddin has also served as director general of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and senior directing staff of the National Defence College.

He also played a key role in UN peacekeeping missions as deputy force commander in the Central African Republic.