Lieutenant General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq has been appointed as the new chief of Bangladesh Army, according to Inter Service Public Relations Directorate.

He will take office on 25 June as the term of the current army chief, Gen Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, will expire on 26 June.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who also holds the office of the defence minister, has signed the appointment letter for new chief of army.

Lt Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq, ndc, psc has been carrying out his responsibilities as the Principal Staff Officer, Prime Minister’s Office, Armed Forces Division, Dhaka since 1 January 2013. Prior to assuming this position he had been serving as Commandant, Defence Services Command and Staff College, Dhaka, according to the Armed Forces Division website.

He was born in December 1958 and commissioned in Armoured Corps on 18 June 1978 from Bangladesh Military Academy. He was adjudged as the best all round cadet of his batch and awarded with “Sword of Honour” for his performance in the Military Academy.

Having obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dhaka University, Lt Gen Belal has a graduation in ‘Defense Studies’ from National University Bangladesh and in Philosophy from Bangladesh University of Professionals.