Bangladesh Army is pride of countrymen: PM
New army chief takes charge
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh Army is the pride of all countrymen and thats why the members of the armed forces have been playing a unique role in facing different natural disasters and providing humanitarian assistance besides safeguarding the independence and sovereignty of the country.
The prime minister said this while congratulating new Chief of Army Staff Abu Belal Mohammad Shafiul Huq after the rank badge-adorning function held at her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital last afternoon.
She congratulated the new army chief and hoped that Bangladesh Army would move forward under his leadership by upholding the spirit of liberation.
Earlier, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral M Farid Habib and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Abu Esrar adorned the new army chief with rank badges in presence of the prime minister at 2:30pm.
Our government is working to build the armed forces modern, time-befitting and international standard professional unit, the prime minister said, adding, Our aim is the further development of the armed forces that would continue in the future.
The newly-appointed army chief said Bangladesh Army would continue to work by keeping intact the trust in the government and constitution as per the guidelines of the prime minister.
Prime Ministers Security Affairs Adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, Prime Ministers Office Secretary Suraiya Begum and Prime Ministers Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Zainul Abedin, and senior military officials attended the rank badge-adorning function.
Earlier in the day, the newly appointed army chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, NDC, PSC, took over the charge as the 14th army chief from the outgoing chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan at the army headquarters.
On June 10, the government appointed Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lt Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq as army chief for the tenure of three years from June 25, 2015 afternoon to June 25, 2018 afternoon.
Meanwhile, outgoing Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan ended his 39 years of service in the Bangladesh army yesterday.
