Dhaka: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday appointed Bangladesh’s Major General Mohammad Humayun Kabir the Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

Major General Kabir will succeed Major General Kristin Lund of Norway, who will complete her assignment on 29 July 2016, the UN office in Dhaka said.

Bangladesh has long been seeking more posts at commanding level in UN peacekeeping missions.

The Secretary-General payed tribute to Major General Lund’s service with UNFICYP, the first female Force Commander in the UN, where her dedication, professionalism and leadership greatly contributed to its efforts in Cyprus.

Major General Kabir has had a distinguished military career, with over 32 years of wide-ranging command and staff experience. Since 1989, he has held command positions at unit, battalion, brigade and divisional levels in the Bangladesh Army as well as senior Staff appointments.

As Brigadier General, he commanded an infantry brigade and served as the Director of Military Operations of the Bangladesh Army. He commanded an infantry division from 2013 to 2016.

In 2016, he was appointed to his current position as Commandant of the Bangladesh Military Academy.

Kabir’s experience with the UN includes service as a Military Observer with the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) from 2002 to 2003, and with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) from 1995 to 1996.

He holds three Masters Degrees in International Security and Strategy from King’s College, London (2013), in Business Administration from the University of Dhaka (2002-2005), and in Defence Studies from Bangladesh National University (1998-1999). He is also a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK (2012-2013) and US Army Command and General Staff College (1999-2000).