Bangladesh Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman | Photo: ANI Twitter
Just over a month after becoming Bangladesh’s army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman came into the spotlight when he announced the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country on Monday.
Zaman said in a televised address that after consultations with “all political parties” it had been decided that an interim government would be formed.
It was not yet clear whether the military would play a role, but Zaman said: “We are now going to the president of the country, where we will discuss the formation of the interim government, form the interim government and govern the country,” he said.
Bangladesh has been engulfed in protests and violence that began last month after student groups demanded the end of a controversial quota system for government jobs, escalating into a campaign to oust Hasina, who has been in power for 15 years and recently took office for a fourth consecutive term in January.
Nearly 250 people have been killed in the violence.
Zaman, 58, took over as army chief on June 23 for a three-year term, the normal term for the position.
He was born in Dhaka in 1966 and is married to Sarahnaz Kamalika Zaman, the daughter of General Muhammad Mustafizur Rahman, who was army chief from 1997 to 2000.
According to the Bangladesh Army website, Zaman holds a master’s degree in defense studies from the National University of Bangladesh and a Master of Arts in defense studies from King’s College London.
Before becoming army chief, he served for over six months as chief of the general staff, where he oversaw military operations and intelligence, Bangladesh’s role in UN peacekeeping operations and the budget.
In his career spanning over three and a half decades, he has also worked closely with Hasina, serving as Chief of Army Staff in the Armed Forces Department under the Prime Minister’s Office.
Zaman is also associated with the modernization of the military, according to the army’s website.
Amid renewed protests in the country this month, Zaman called on military personnel to ensure the safety of lives, property and key state installations.
First print: Aug 6, 2024 | 12:43 AM IST