Lt General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been appointed the new chief of the Bangladesh Army, effective from the afternoon of June 23, according to a release from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) today.
He will serve a three-year term, during which he will be promoted to the rank of General and assume the role of Army Chief. Currently, he is the Chief of General Staff of the Bangladesh Army.
An alumnus of the Bangladesh Military Academy, Lt General Waker was commissioned into the Corps of Infantry on December 20, 1985. His distinguished military career spans over three and a half decades, encompassing numerous key command, staff, and instructional roles.
Throughout his career, Lt General Waker has commanded an Infantry Battalion, the only Independent Infantry Brigade of the Bangladesh Army, and an Infantry Division. His notable staff appointments include roles at an Infantry Brigade, the School of Infantry and Tactics, and Army Headquarters. He has 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.
Lt General Waker held the position of Military Secretary at Army Headquarters and, before becoming Chief of General Staff on January 1 this year, he served as the Principal Staff Officer to the Prime Minister in the Armed Forces Division under the Prime Minister’s Office.
He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur, and the Joint Services Command and Staff College, 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 head of the Armed Forces Division, Lt General Waker was directly involved in the UN Peacekeeping Affairs of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. He was also recognized as a Gender Champion and Advocate for Bangladesh in UN Peacekeeping Affairs.
Additionally, as Principal Staff Officer, he chaired the Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention. Under the UN’s Blue Helmet, he completed two tours of duty as an observer and staff in UNAVEM (Angola) and UNMIL (Liberia).
As Chief of General Staff, he has overseen military operations, intelligence, UN peacekeeping affairs, budgeting, and various other army matters. Notably, he commanded the National Victory Day Parade for three consecutive years.
Lt General Waker has been honored with the Army Medal of Glory (SGP) and the Extraordinary Service Medal (OSP) for his significant contributions to army modernization. He is a frequent keynote speaker at seminars and symposiums both domestically and internationally.
He is married to Sarahnaz Kamalika Zaman and has two daughters, Samiha Raisa Zaman and Shayeera Ibnat Zaman. He enjoys games and sports in his leisure time.
