Bangladesh army reshuffled days after Tarique Rahman took office as Prime Minister

The changes, issued by Army Headquarters, came shortly after the new government took charge on February 17, following the February 12 general elections in which the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a two-thirds majority. Rahman, 60, took the oath on the same day, ending the 18-month tenure of the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.

According to a report by Dhaka Tribune, the reshuffle affects several operational commands as well as Bangladesh’s premier military intelligence agency.

Key appointments and transfers

Lieutenant General M Mainur Rahman, who was previously serving as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army Training and Doctrine Command (ARTDOC), has been appointed Chief of General Staff.

He succeeds Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim, who has proceeded on retirement leave.

Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury, who was serving as a brigadier general at Army Headquarters, has been appointed Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI).

He will assume the post following his promotion to the rank of major general. Chowdhury replaces Major General Mohammad Jahangir Alam, who has been deputed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for appointment as an ambassador.

The post of Principal Staff Officer (PSO) has also seen a change.

Lieutenant General SM Kamrul Hasan has been replaced by newly promoted Lieutenant General Mir Mushfiqur Rahman. Hasan has been attached to the foreign ministry and is expected to take up an ambassadorial assignment.

India posting recalled

The BNP-led government has also recalled Brigadier General Mohammad Hafizur Rahman, who was serving as defence adviser at the Bangladesh High Commission in India.

He has been promoted to the rank of major general and appointed General Officer Commanding of the 55th Infantry Division.

Major General JM Imdadul Islam, who was previously commanding the 55th Infantry Division, has now been appointed Commandant of the East Bengal Regimental Centre (EBRC).

The reshuffle comes at a politically sensitive time as the new government consolidates control following a prolonged transition period and signals its approach to civil-military coordination under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.