Bangladesh army chief — a profile

DHAKA: Just over a month after he became Bangladesh’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been thrust into the limelight, announcing the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who fled the country on Monday.

Zaman, 58, assumed the duties of army chief on June 23 for a period of three years - the normal tenure for the position.Born in Dhaka in 1966, he is married to SarahnazKamalika Zaman, the daughter of General Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman, who was army chief from 1997 to 2000.

Zaman holds a Masters degree in Defence Studies from the National University of Bangladesh and a Master of Arts in Defence Studies from King’s College, London, according to the Bangladesh Army website.

Prior to becoming the army chief, he served as the Chief of General Staff for little over six months - a role in which he oversaw, among other things, military operations and intelligence, Bangladesh’s role in UN peacekeeping operations, and budget.

In a career spanning three-and-a-half decades, he has also worked closely with Hasina, serving as the principal staff officer at the Armed Forces Division under the Prime Minister’s Office.Zaman has also been associated with the modernization of the army, the army website said.