Dhaka: Just days after Tarique Rahman assumed office as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the country’s military leadership underwent significant changes, including a major reshuffle of senior army positions and the recall of the defence adviser serving in India, according to various media reports.
The reshuffle was formalised by the Bangladesh Army Headquarters shortly after Tarique Rahman’s government — led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — assumed power on February 17, following a two-thirds majority win in the February 12 general elections, reported the NDTV.
Key Changes in Army Leadership
According to official notifications and local media reports:
Lieutenant General M Mainur Rahman was appointed Chief of General Staff (CGS). Previously he served as the general officer commanding (GOC) of the Army Training and Doctrine Command (ARTDOC).
Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury was named the new Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). He will take up the position upon promotion to major general.
Lieutenant General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman was appointed Principal Staff Officer (PSO), replacing Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hasan, who has been reassigned for ambassadorial duties.
Recall of Defence Adviser in India
In a notable move, Brigadier General Mohammad Hafizur Rahman, who had been serving as the defence adviser at the Bangladesh High Commission in India, was recalled to Dhaka. He has been promoted to major general and appointed as the general officer commanding of an infantry division.
The previous commander of that division, Major General JM Imdadul Islam, has been appointed Commandant of the East Bengal Regimental Centre.
The reshuffle comes in the wake of Tarique Rahman ending the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus after an 18-month period in office. The changes affect several key strategic commands within the Bangladesh Army as well as its main intelligence agency.
