Gen Belal takes over as Army Chief

Staff Reporter :General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq took charge as country’s new army chief on Thursday succeeding General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan who has retired.Shafiul Huq, the 14th CAS of Bangladesh Army, has also been promoted to 4-star General.The outgoing army chief Gen Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan handed over the charge to new army chief at a simple ceremony at the Army Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment.The outgoing and newly appointed chiefs of army staff signed on the command receiving and giving book at a ceremony at the Army Headquarters. Principal Staff Officers and high-ups of the Bangladesh Army were present at the ceremony. In the morning, General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan placed wreaths at Shikha Onirban [Eternal Flame] and paid tribute to the martyrs of the country’s war of independence in 1971. He was given the ‘guard of honour’ credential at Senakunja in the cantonment and was bade farewell according to the Army’s heritage. He served as Chief of Army staff since June 25, 2012.”General Belal took charge as 14th Army Chief from the outgoing Army Chief General Iqbal at the army headquarters at about 12:05pm,”, Muhammad Reza-ul Karim, Assistant Director of Inter Services Public Relations Directorate [ISPR] said.He said, “Lieutenant General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq was also promoted as General before taking charge.”Earlier on June 10, the government appointed Belal, Principal Staff Officer [PSO] of the Armed Forces Division, as the Army Chief for next three years. Born in December 1958, Lieutenant General Belal was commissioned in Armoured Corps on 18 June 1978 from Bangladesh Military Academy. For his outstanding performance in the Military Academy, he was adjudged as the best all round cadet of his batch and awarded with “Sword of Honour”. Lieutenant General Belal obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Dhaka University and Master Degree on ‘Defense Studies’ from National University Bangladesh.Lieutenant General Belal’s military education includes a variety of training courses, both at home and abroad on strategic studies, tactics, military science, weapon systems, UN Staff Procedure etc. He is a graduate of Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur, Bangladesh and also Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavanworth, Kansas, USA. He attended National Defence Course and Capstone Course at NDC, Bangladesh.In a distinguished career spanning almost 35 years, Lieutenant General Belal has held a variety of command, staff and instructional appointments. As a staff he served as the ADC to the President of Bangladesh, Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade and Chief of Staff of an Infantry Division. As an Instructor he served in Bangladesh Military Academy and as a Faculty including Chief Instructor in Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur. He commanded two Armour Units, three Brigades (One Armour and two Infantry) and two Divisions. He also served as Military Secretary and Adjutant General of Bangladesh Army. Besides, the General was Commandant of Bangladesh Military Academy and Armoured Corps Centre and School and had a tour of duty as Director General of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).Lieutenant General Belal was a member of the pioneer Group of Officers sent to UN Peace Keeping Mission from Bangladesh. He was an observer in UNIIMOG (Iraq) in 1988/89 and Deputy Force Commander of UNMEE (Ethiopia and Eritrea) in 2006/2007.He is a widely travelled person and a keen golfer. He is married to Shoma Huq and the couple has a daughter and a son.