Rear Admiral Khondkar Misbah Ul Azim has been appointed as the next Chief of the Bangladesh Navy. He will be promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral on July 23, 2026, and will assume command of the Navy on the same day.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced the appointment in a press release issued on Thursday.
The incumbent Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, will remain in office until July 23. He has been serving as the Navy chief since July 24, 2023.
Rear Admiral Misbah Ul Azim joined the Bangladesh Navy on January 1, 1987. A member of the 87A batch, he secured the top position in both seniority and merit among his batchmates. He is currently serving as Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Oman.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Misbah Ul Azim holds a PhD in Maritime Governance from Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). He also earned an MPhil and a Master’s in Defence Studies from the National University. In addition, he obtained two master’s degrees in Strategic Studies from the University of Madras in India and the National Defence University of China.
He ranked among the national merit list holders in both the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations and received the Chancellor’s Award from the President in recognition of his outstanding academic achievements.
During his distinguished naval career, Rear Admiral Misbah Ul Azim has served in a number of key command, staff and leadership positions. He also served in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the ISPR, he will formally take over as Chief of the Bangladesh Navy following his promotion to Vice Admiral on July 23.
Source: ISPR
