Jahangir Alam Chowdhury
Jahangir Alam Chowdhury is a retired three star general of the Bangladesh Army and former director general of the Bangladesh Rifles. As of 16 August 2024, Chowdhury has been designated as an adviser of the Interim government of Bangladesh.
A former Principal Staff Officer of the Army of Bangladesh he was elevated to the position of Quartermaster General at the same time his military academy course-mate Moeen U Ahmed, the Chief of the Army Staff was made first serving General in national military history. He is widely known to be credited to have gone to the Bangabhaban to ask the President of Bangladesh to declare the State of emergency which led to the events of 2008 that brought the military in power.
Early life
Jahangir was born on 2 February 1953 in Munshiganj, East Bengal and was commissioned in the Corps of Artillery of Bangladesh Army in 1975. Beginning his career as a Gunner he served in different artillery outfits in various capacities including commanding Two Artillery Brigades and a Field Artillery Regiment.Career
Jahangir had also been an instructor in Bangladesh Military Academy. Later he served as a Group Testing Officer in Inter Services Selection Board. He got the unique opportunity to serve as United Nations Military Observer and Staff in three different UN Missions between 1994 and 1996 in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Rwanda and Georgia. He is a graduate of Defence Services Command and Staff College and Bangladesh National Defence College, Mirpur, Dhaka.Trained both at home and abroad Jahangir served in number of command, staff and instructional assignments of Bangladesh Army. Apart from artillery outfits, he commanded Bangladesh Rifles for a significant period – in the rank of Major General as Director General and in the rank of Colonel as Sector Commander. He was assigned with staff responsibilities in Bangladesh Army Headquarters as Master General of Ordnance, Military secretary, Director of Inspectorate of Technical Development and General Staff Officer – 1st Grade in Military Intelligence Directorate. He was also the Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster in HQ 66 Infantry Division and General Staff Officer – II in Bangladesh Military Academy. He served as the chairman of Bangladesh Diesel Plant, an army operated manufacturing company. He was the Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division. He also served as quartermaster general and the Colonel commadant of the corps of EME of Bangladesh Army.