# S. M. Shafiuddin Ahmed

Sheikh Mohammad Shafiuddin Ahmed (born 1 December 1963) is a retired Bangladeshi four star general who was chief of army staff of the Bangladesh Army. He served as the antecedent quartermaster general and director of military training at army headquarters as prior his staff appointments. He has also served as director general of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, and commanded an infantry brigade and furthermore an infantry division.

## Early life and education

Ahmed was born on 1 December 1963 into a Bengali Muslim family of Sheikhs in the village of Karfa in Lohagara subdivision of Narail Upazila, then in Jessore District of East Pakistan. His father, Sheikh Mohammad Rokon Uddin Ahmed was a professor of Khulna Polytechnic Institute whom participated in Bangladesh Liberation War.
Ahmed finished high school from Jhenidah Cadet College. Soon after, he was commissioned in the 4th East Bengal Regiment of Bangladesh Army on 23 December 1983 in the 9th BMA Long Course. He also graduated from Defence Services Command and Staff College, attended International Symposium Course and Defence and Strategic Studies Course in PLA National Defence University and furthermore obtained post graduate degrees from National Defense University, Washington DC. He attained three master's degrees which focuses on defence studies (MDS) from National University, Bangladesh, Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Dhaka and was awarded Master of Philosophy (MPhil) on development of security studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals. He completed his PhD degree on development of security studies from Bangladesh University of Professionals on 28 August 2021.

## Military career

After commission, Ahmed started his military career in the counter-insurgency operation area of Chittagong Hill Tracts. He served as battalion commander at Bangladesh Military Academy, and commanded one infantry battalion and also a military police unit. As brigadier general, Ahmed commanded an infantry brigade and served as the director of military training at the general staff branch of army headquarters. He was ameliorated to major general in 2012 and appointed as general officer commanding 19th infantry division and area commander Ghatail Area. Ahmed also served as doctrine commander at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies as the director general, National Defence College as the senior directing staff and furthermore commander of logistics area. On 25 August 2019, he was promoted to lieutenant general and made the general officer commanding of ARTDOC. He was appointed as the 6th colonel commandant of Corps of Military Police on 19 October 2020 making him the first three-star general to uphold the position. In December 2020, he was reassigned to army headquarters and designated as quartermaster general of the Bangladesh Army, succeeding him by lieutenant general Matiur Rahman at ARTDOC.

### United Nations peacekeeping missions

Ahmed served in United Nations peacekeeping twice. First, under UNSC in Mozambique, he served in ONUMOZ from 1993 to 1994. Then again as a deputy force commander of MINUSCA in the Central African Republic from 2014 to 2016 and received citations by SRSG for outstanding performance.

### As Chief of Army Staff

On 24 June 2021, Ahmed was upgraded to general and was appointed as 17th chief of army staff succeeding general Aziz Ahmed.
as army chief, Ahmed's other roles include chairing the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory, Bangladesh Diesel Plant Limited, Trust Bank Limited, Army Welfare Trust, and furthermore the Boards of Trustees of Sena Kalyan Sangstha and the Bangladesh Army University of Engineering & Technology. He was the president of Bangladesh Olympic Association and Bangladesh Golf Federation and also acted as the president of the executive committee of Kurmitola Golf Club. He was also the vice chairman of the governing body of the National Defence College and Defence Services Command & Staff College, Council of the Military Institute of Science and Technology. Ahmed went to leave per retirement on 23 June 2024 succeding him by general Waker-Uz-Zaman as chief of army staff. He was the last general of Fourth Hasina ministry.

## Personal life

Shafiuddin Ahmed is married to Noorjahan Ahmed, and has two daughters.