Abdul Hafiz (Lieutenant General)

Abdul Hafiz
আবদুল হাফিজ
Nickname(s) "Hafiz"
Born November 16, 1957
Allegiance  Bangladesh
Service/branch  Bangladesh Army
Years of service 1977–2014
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held Ansar and Village Defence Party
UNMINURSO
UNOCI
Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army
Awards United Nations Medal

Lieutenant General Abdul Hafiz (Bengali: আবদুল হাফিজ; born: 1957) is a retired Lieutenant General of Bangladesh Army. He was served as a Force Commander for the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI).[1][2][3]

Career

Hafiz had a distinguished military career, includes service in United Nations peacekeeping operations.

In Bangladesh Army

Abdul Hafiz joined the infantry corps as an officer in May 8, 1977. After a long journey, he was promoted Major General of the Bangladesh Army, December 31, 2005.[4] He retired from Bangladesh Army shortly after being promoted to Lieutenant General.

He commanded an infantry brigade from 1999 to 2001 and an infantry division from 2005 to 2008. In 2001 to 2003, he led the Bangladesh Military Academy. From 2008 to 2009, he served as the Director-General of the paramilitary organization “Ansar and Village Defence Party”,[5] commanding more than 15,000 active and 30,000 reserve forces.

He was the general commanding officer of an infantry division of the Bangladesh Army. He also served as the Chief of General Staff, Bangladesh Army Headquarters.

In UN Peacekeeping

From 1991 to 1992, Major General Hafiz served as a Military Liaison Officer with the United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM) and as the Chief Military Liaison Officer in Zagreb, Croatia.[1][4] From 1993 to 1994, General Hafiz participated in the reconnaissance mission preparing, planning and coordination for deployment of troops from Bangladesh in Rwanda, Bosnia, Somalia, Mozambique, and Haiti.[4]

From 2003 and 2004, he was the Chief Military Liaison Officer with the United Nations Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (MINUCI). Then, from 2004 to 2005, he served as the Deputy Force Commander of United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and has appointed as Force Commander of UNOCI for April 2010 to March 2011.[1] He resigned from the Force Commander post in 22 March 2011 after UN authorities accuse him of having provided top secret information to the author of the documentary film entitled Laurent Gbagbo in the Gulf of Guinea whirlwind. This film highlights the neo-colonialist appetite of France facing its African territory and the huge interests for which France is engaged in a war for the control of the Ivorian State.[4] In his resignation speech, he said,

We're not in Côte d'Ivoire to kill Ivorians and I, I stop because I do not want to remain in the wrong.[4]

The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Major General Abdul Hafiz as the Force Commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara on 23 July 2011.[6] He is highly appreciated on his tour of duty on MINURSO. On the tour of duty end, the official statement read, “The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is grateful to Major General Hafiz for his exemplary service and contribution to the work of MINURSO since July 2011.” [7]

He participated in a mapping exercise of Operations Peacekeeping at the seminar on the Operations of Peacekeeping Nations held at the United Kingdom School of Staff, Camberley in October 1994, and the 11th Committee on Defence Forum held in Tokyo, Japan, in October 2006.[4] He also attended the first national seminar on sustainable development.

Personal life

Hafiz is married and has two daughters. He holds a Master in Defense Studies degree from Bangladesh National University. General Hafiz holds several degrees and certificates. He attended various courses and training in both his country and abroad. General Hafiz is a graduate from the School of National Defense, School of Staff and Defense Services (DCES). He took a course on small and heavy arms of infantry in China and Advanced Infantry Officer's course in the United States of America. He is also a graduate from the Defense Intelligence College of France. He speaks fluent English and French.

Award

Abdul Hafiz received many awards in his distinguish career. He was awarded the United Nations Medal for his service in MINURSO.[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Secretary-General Appoints Major General Abdul Hafiz of Bangladesh as Force Commander for United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara". 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  2. ↑ "Gen Hafiz made force commander". The Daily Star (Dhaka: The Daily Star). 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  3. ↑ Haidar, Ali (2011-08-02). "The UN mission forces for the Western Sahara have a new commander". Sahara News. Retrieved 2014-11-15.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Gen. Abdul Hafiz to Choi: "We Are Not Here to Kill Ivorians! "". Cotedivoire.net. 2011-03-19. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  5. ↑ "মেজর জেনারেল আব্দুল হাফিজ আবার সেনাবাহিনীতে" [Major General Abdul Hafiz again in Army]. snnbd.com (in Bengali) (Dhaka). 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  6. ↑ "New commander at the head of MINURSO". sahara-online.net (sahara-online.net). 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2014-11-15.
  7. ↑ "Indonesian major general appointed force commander of UN Western Sahara Mission". UN News Center. 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  8. ↑ "Special Representative for Western Sahara awards UN Medal to the Force" (Press release). UN Mission Minurso. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2014-11-14.

External links