Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix = General

| name = Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan

| honorific_suffix = SBP, KLM

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|06|2|df=y}}

| death_date =

| birth_place = Comilla, East Pakistan, Pakistan

| death_place =

| placeofburial =

| image = The Bangladesh Army Chief, Gen. Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan calls on the Defence Minister, Shri A. K. Antony, in New Delhi on April 01, 2013 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Bhuiyan in 2013

| width =

| nickname =

| allegiance = {{BAN}}

| branch = {{army|Bangladesh}}

| serviceyears = 1976 – 2015

| rank = 20px General
30px

| commands =*Commander of 105th Infantry Brigade

Commandant of School of Infantry and Tactics
GOC of 19th Infantry Division
Commandant of Defence Services Command and Staff College
GOC of 24th Infantry Division
GOC of 9th Infantry Division
Chief of General Staff at Army Headquarters
Quartermaster General at Army Headquarters
Chief of Army Staff

| unit = East Bengal Regiment

| battles = {{ubl|Chittagong Hill Tracts Conflict|Operation Desert Storm|UNAMSIL}}

| awards = 30px Senabahini Padak(SBP)
30px Kuwait Liberation Medal
30px Kuwait Liberation Medal (KSA)
30px Independence Day Award

| laterwork =

| spouse = Tahmina Yasmin

| office = 14th Chief of Army Staff

| president = Zillur Rahman
Abdul Hamid

| primeminister = Sheikh Hasina

| term_start = 25 June 2012

| term_end = 25 June 2015

| predecessor = Abdul Mubeen

| successor = Belal Shafiul Haque

}}

Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan{{efn|{{langx|bn|ইকবাল করিম ভূঁইয়া}}}}{{efn|SBP, psc}} (born 2 June 1957) is a retired Bangladeshi four star general who served as the 14th Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army.{{cite news |title=Iqbal Karim new army chief |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-237421 |work=The Daily Star |date=8 June 2012 |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2014-02-10 |title=Armed forces must keep vigil |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/armed-forces-must-keep-vigil-10649 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |agency=UNB |language=en}} He took office of Army Chief at 25 June 2012 and retired on 25 June 2015. He joined Bangladesh Military Academy on 19 March 1976 and was commissioned on 30 November 1976 in the Infantry Regiment (East Bengal Regiment). Iqbal had a diversified and fine mix of all three types of appointment available in army. During his 39 years of service in the Bangladesh Army, He commanded three infantry battalions, an infantry brigade and three divisions. He also served as chief of general staff, colonel staff of a division, and platoon commander of the Bangladesh Military Academy. He participated in Operation Desert Storm and received 'Liberation of Kuwait Medal'.{{cite web | url=https://www.gulf-times.com/story/114582/bhuiyan-takes-over-as-army-chief-of-bangladesh | title=Bhuiyan takes over as army chief of Bangladesh | date=25 June 2012 }}

Early life and education

Bhuiyan was born in Comilla on 2 June 1957 and studied in Comilla Zilla School and Faujdarhat Cadet College. Bhuiyan has participated in courses abroad which include Company Commander's Course in Malaysia, Course on Peace-Keeping for Decision Makers in the Defence Institute of International Legal Studies in Rhode Island, US. He is a graduate of Defence Services Command and Staff College and United States Army Command and General Staff College.{{cite web |url=http://www.army.mil.bd/node/254 |title=Chief of Army Staff |website=Bangladesh Army |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728173953/http://www.army.mil.bd/node/254 |archive-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}

Career

Bhuiyan entered the Bangladesh Military Academy on 19 March 1976 at 3rd BMA SSC (Short Service Commission) course and was commissioned on 30 November 1976 in East Bengal Regiment with Md Abdul Mubeen who rose to the rank of full general in 2009.{{cite news |last1=Khasru |first1=Syed Munir |title=The new army chief, politicians, and elections |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-240146 |work=The Daily Star |date=29 June 2012 |language=en}}

File:The Chief of Army Staff, General Bikram Singh with the Army Chief, Bangladesh, Gen. Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, in Dhaka, Bangladesh on October 03, 2012.jpg Bikram Singh on 3 October 2012]]

Bhuiyan held important positions in the Bangladesh Army including Platoon Commander in Bangladesh Military Academy, Colonel Staff of 11 Division, Bogra, Commander of 105 Infantry Brigade and also served as the directing staff of the Defence Services Command and Staff College. Bhuiyan actively took part in Operation Desert Storm and received the Kuwait Liberation Medal from the government of Kuwait.{{cite news |title=Modernisation of armed forces to continue |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-258433 |work=The Daily Star |date=22 November 2012 |language=en}}

He served as Commandant of Staff College, Commandant of the School of Infantry and Tactics (S I & T), Sylhet, Commander of BANSEC-2, and United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia (UNAMSIL).{{cite web | url=https://www.thedailystar.net/human-security-precedes-narrow-national-interests-41730 | title=Human security precedes narrow national interests | date=15 September 2014 }}

He was GOC of the 19 Division, Ghatail, the 24 Division, Chittagong and CGS (Chief of General Staff) of Bangladesh Army. He was the CGS of Bangladesh Army in 2007.{{Cite news |title=The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1051 |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2007/05/17/d70517050450p.htm |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star}} In 2009, he was the Commandant of the Defence Services Command and Staff College when he was appointed General Officer Commanding of the 9th Infantry Division, Savar Cantonment.{{Cite news |date=2009-03-14 |title=Key changes in top command of army |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-79667 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He was the Quartermaster General (QMG) of Bangladesh Army in 2010 after being promoted to lieutenant general in May 2010.{{Cite news |date=2010-05-24 |title=2 army officers promoted to lieutenant general |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-139843 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} He was the chairman of Bangladesh Diesel Plant Limited.{{Cite news |date=2010-07-16 |title=Deals on 100MW rental power |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-146919 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}

Bhuiyan was appointed of Chief of Army Staff in June 2012 replacing General Md Abdul Mubeen, who was his course-mate.{{Cite news |title=Iqbal Karim new army chief |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-237421 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star}} Bhuiyan was promoted to full general on the day he took office of Chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh Army on 25 June 2012.{{cite news |title=Bangladesh appoints Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan as new Army Chief |url=http://www.firstpost.com/fwire/bangladesh-appoints-iqbal-karim-bhuiyan-as-new-army-chief-335940.html |work=First Post |access-date=24 December 2015}} He invited Indian army chief General Bikram Singh in 2012's October to visit Bangladesh.{{Cite news |date=2012-10-01 |title=Indian army chief to visit Bangladesh |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-251942 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} In November 2012, he held a reception for veterans of Bangladesh Liberation War.{{Cite news |date=2012-11-23 |title=Army chief accords reception to decorated freedom fighters |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-258643 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} In 2013, he raised the flags of 32nd Bangladesh Infantry Regiment (32 BIR) and 33rd Bangladesh Infantry Regiment (33 BIR), two new infantry units, based in Jalalabad Cantonment.{{Cite news |date=2013-09-19 |title=PM raises new infantry division flag |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/pm-raises-new-infantry-division-flag |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}

Bhuiyan hosted General Vincent Brooks of the United States Army Pacific command in 2014 during the Pacific Armies Management Seminar.{{Cite news |date=2014-09-16 |title=Generals discuss strategy while cruising Padma |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/generals-discuss-strategy-while-cruising-padma-41910 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}

Bhuiyan inaugurated Bangladesh Golf Academy in 2015 at the Army Golf Club.{{Cite news |date=2015-06-10 |title=Golf academy opens amid hush-hush |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/golf/golf-academy-opens-amid-hush-hush-94642 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}} On 25 June 2015, General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq replaced Bhuiyan as the Chief of Army Staff.{{Cite news |date=2015-06-25 |title=Gen Belal takes over as army chief |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/country/lt-gen-belal-takes-over-army-chief-102790 |access-date=2022-11-24 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}

Post-military

=Support for Students=

Bhuiyan was among several retired military personnel, who expressed support for the student movement leading the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement and the Non-cooperation movement and called on the Government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to "withdraw the armed forces from the street immediately".{{Cite news |date=5 August 2024 |title=Bangladesh PM leaves country for 'safer place' after resigning |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clywww69p2vo |access-date=5 August 2024 |work=BBC News |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Ex-senior army officers call for withdrawing armed forces from streets |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/ex-senior-army-officers-hold-press-conference-current-situation-909591 |work=The Business Standard |date=4 August 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Take back armed forces from streets |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/take-back-armed-forces-streets-3669751 |work=The Daily Star |date=5 August 2024 |language=en}} He also uploaded the color red on his Facebook profile in support of the movement.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-06 |title=Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina forced to resign: What happened and what's next? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/5/bangladeshs-sheikh-hasina-forced-to-resign-what-happened-and-whats-next |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}

On August 4 2024, he organized a press conference where he and other retired army officers condemned the attacks on innocent protestors and subsequently called on the troops to return to the barracks.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-04 |title=Ex-senior army officers call for withdrawing armed forces from streets |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/ex-senior-army-officers-hold-press-conference-current-situation-909591 |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}

Honours

style="margin:1em auto;"

File:Nirapotta Padak.JPG

|File:Dabanal Padak.JPG

|File:Uttoron Padak Medal BAR.png

|File:Independence Day Award Ribbon.jpg

File:Plaban 1998 Padak.JPG

|File:Mahaplaban 1998 Padak.JPG

|File:Sangsadia Nirbachan 1991.png

|File:Bangladesh Sangsadia Nirbachan 1996.png

File:Silver Jubilee.gif

|File:Golden Jubilee.JPG

|File:Jestha Padak III.svg

|File:Jestha Padak II.svg

File:Jestha Padak I.svg

|File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg

|File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg

|File:ONZ Medal w S%C5%82u%C5%BCbie Pokoju UNIKOM BAR.svg

class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"

Nirapotta Padak Medal

|Dabanal Padak Medal

|Uttoron Padak Medal

|Independence Day Award Medal

Flood Relief of 1988 Medal

|Great Flood Relief of 1998 Medal

|1991 National Election Medal

|1996 National Election Medal

Silver Jubilee Medal (25 years of liberation)

|Golden Jubilee Medal (50th anniversary of East Bengal Regiment)

|30 years service

|20 years service

10 years service

|Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)

|Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)

|UNIKOM Medal

Family

Bhuiyan is married to Tahmina Yasmin and the couple has two daughters and one son.{{Cite news |agency=TNN |date=Apr 4, 2013 |title=Bangla Army chief keen on better security {{!}} Kolkata News |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/bangla-army-chief-keen-on-better-security/articleshow/19372882.cms |access-date=2021-11-30 |work=The Times of India |language=en}}