General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed (born 1 December 1963) is a

Bangladesh Army The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and def ...

general who is serving as the 17th Chief of Army Staff (CAS) of the

since June 2021. Prior to his appointment as CAS, he served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the

Army Training and Doctrine Command An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, Quartermaster general (QMG) of Bangladesh Army, Director General of

Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) is a state owned autonomous national research institute and think tank working as a statutory institute that carries out research on security and strategic issues in Bangladesh ...

(BIISS), Director of Military Training (DMT), the Commander of an Infantry Brigade and an Infantry Division,

Early life and academics

Shafiuddin Ahmed was born on 1 December 1963 in a reputed Muslim and freedom fighter's family in

Khulna Khulna ( bn, খুলনা, ) is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative centre of Khulna District and Khulna Division. Khulna's economy is the third-largest in Bangladesh, contributing $53 b ...

. His father, late Sheikh Mohammad Rokon Uddin Ahmed was a freedom fighter, professor and social worker. Shafiuddin Ahmed is a former student of

Jhenidah Cadet College Jhenaidah Cadet College (JCC), which is an English version military boarding school, similar to West Point Military Academy, is located in the outskirts of Jhenidah in Bangladesh. It is one of twelve cadet colleges of Bangladesh. It has depar ...

of the 12th intake. Shafiuddin Ahmed has attended several military courses both at home and abroad. He is a graduate of Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Mirpur, Bangladesh. He attended International Symposium Course in

PLA National Defence University The People's Liberation Army National Defence University () is a Beijing-based national military university administered by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and funded by the Central Military Commission. The university is the highest milita ...

and Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the same University. He is also a NESA graduate from National Defense University, Washington DC. He attained three

Master's degrees A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

on varied disciplines. He was awarded

MPhil The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil m ...

degree with First Class on Development of Security Studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). He obtained Masters in Defence Studies (MDS) from

National University, Bangladesh The National University of Bangladesh ( bn, জাতীয় বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, বাংলাদেশ ) is a public university of Bangladesh that was established by an Act of Parliament as an affiliating University ...

. He has also obtained Master of Business Administration (MBA) from

University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...

where he secured 1st position and received

MIST Mist is a phenomenon caused by small droplets of water suspended in the cold air, usually by condensation. Physically, it is an example of a dispersion. It is most commonly seen where water vapor in warm, moist air meets sudden cooling, such a ...

Gold Medal. He completed his PhD degree on Development of Security Studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) in 28 August 2021.

Career

Shafiuddin Ahmed was commissioned in the 4th Battalion the

East Bengal Regiment The East Bengal Regiment ( bn, ইস্ট বেঙ্গল রেজিমেন্ট) is an infantry regiment ( regimental system type) and the largest military formation of the Bangladesh Army. History The East Bengal Regiment was for ...

of Bangladesh Army on 23 December 1983 in the 9th

Bangladesh Military Academy Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) is the officers training institute for the officer cadets of Bangladesh Army. It is located in Bhatiary, near Chittagong Hill Tracts, in the Chittagong District of south-east Bangladesh, about 13 kilometres ...

Long Course. After the commission, he started his military career by joining the East Bengal Regiment in the counter insurgency operation area in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He served as Battalion Commander in 1st Bangladesh Battalion of Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) and commanded an Infantry Brigade. He also served as the Director of Military Training in Military Training Directorate at the General Staff Branch, Army headquarters. He served as the General Officer Commanding & Area Commander of the 19th Infantry Division & Ghatail Area in 2012. He also served as the Director General of

(BIISS). Also served as the Chief of Doctrine of the Army Training & Doctrine Command (ARTDOC). He served as a Senior Directing Staff (SDS) at National Defense College, GOC of 19th Infantry Division and the GOC of the Area Commander of Logistics Area. On 25 August 2019, he was promoted to

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

and made the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of ARTDOC. He was appointed as the 6th Colonel Commandant of Corps of Military Police on 19 October 2020. In December 2020, he was reassigned to Army headquarters to take up the position of Quartermaster General of the Bangladesh Army, with SM Matiur Rahman promoted to Lieutenant General to succeed him as ARTDOC GOC.

United Nations peacekeeping missions

Shafiuddin Ahmed served as a Deputy Force Commander of

MINUSCA United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (also called MINUSCA, which is an initialism of its French name Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en Ce ...

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of th ...

from 2014 to 2016 and received citations by SRSG for outstanding performance. Under

UNSC The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

, he served in

ONUMOZ The United Nations Operations in Mozambique (ONUMOZ, pt, Operação das Nações Unidas em Moçambique) was a UN peace mission to Mozambique established in December 1992 under Security Council Resolution 797 with the assignment to monitor the i ...

from 1993 to 1994.

As the Chief of Army Staff

On June 10, 2021, Shafiuddin Ahmed was appointed to a three-year term to succeed General Aziz Ahmed as the 17th Bangladeshi Army Chief of Staff. He was promoted to the rank of

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

on June 24, 2021, his first day in his new role. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Shaheen Iqbal and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal

Shaikh Abdul Hannan Shaikh Abdul Hannan (born 1 August 1963) is a four-star Air chief marshal and the current Chief of Air Staff (Bangladesh), Chief of Air Staff of the Bangladesh Air Force. On 12 June 2021, Hannan took over command of the Bangladesh Air Force from ...

presented his new rank insignia in a ceremony attended by

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Sheikh Hasina Sheikh Hasina Wazed (''née'' Sheikh Hasina ; ; bn, শেখ হাসিনা ওয়াজেদ, Shēkh Hasinā, , born 28 September 1947) is a Bangladeshi politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Prime Minister ...

at Ganabhaban. Shafiuddin Ahmed's other current roles include chairing the Board of Directors of

Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory Limited (BMTF) is a commercial automobile assembly plant of the Bangladesh Army. It mainly engaged to build and modify automobiles specially for defence industry. It is located at Gazipur, about 40 km from Dh ...

, Bangladesh Diesel Plant Limited, Trust Bank Limited,

Army Welfare Trust Army Welfare Trust (AWT), ( ur, ) also known as Askari Group of Companies, is a Pakistani conglomerate company. It is based in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The Army Welfare Trust, along with Fauji Foundation, are run by ex-military personnel of the Paki ...

, and the Boards of Trustees of Sena Kalyan Sangstha and the Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology. He is the President of Bangladesh Olympic Association and

Bangladesh Golf Federation The Bangladesh Golf Federation is the national federation for golf and is responsible for governing the sport in Bangladesh. SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army, is the president of Bangladesh Golf Federation. Major Ge ...

. He is also acting as the President of the Executive Committee of

Kurmitola Golf Club Kurmitola Golf Club is a golf club in Dhaka Cantonment, Bangladesh. Operated by Bangladesh Army. The president of the club is the Chief of Army Staff Bangladesh Army General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, OSP, ndu, psc The club has been described as "prest ...

. He is the Vice Chairman of the Governing Body of National Defence College and Defence Services Command & Staff College, Council of the

Military Institute of Science and Technology Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) ( bn, মিলিটারি ইনস্টিটিউট অফ সায়েন্স অ্যান্ড টেকনোলজি) is a prestigious public engineering university in Ba ...

Personal life

Shafiuddin Ahmed is married to Noorjahan Ahmed, the General is a father of two daughters .

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shafiuddin Ahmed, SM 1963 births Living people People from Khulna People from Khulna District Bangladesh Army generals Chiefs of Army Staff, Bangladesh National Defence College (Bangladesh) alumni