Rear Admiral Md Mainul Hasan appointed Coast Guard chief

Rear Admiral Md Mainul Hasan has taken charge as the new Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, replacing Rear Admiral Md Ziaul Haque.

Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon confirmed the appointment in a press release on Thursday (September 10).

Rear Admiral Mainul Hasan formally assumed office by signing the charge handover and assumption register. Senior Coast Guard officials and officers of different ranks attended the ceremony.

He joined the Bangladesh Navy on July 1, 1989, and was commissioned into its Executive Branch on January 1, 1992. During his career, he received professional training and higher education at home and abroad.

He is a graduate of the Defence Services Command and Staff College in Mirpur, the National Defence College in Mirpur, and the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India. He also completed the Naval Command College Course (NCC-2017) at the US Naval War College in Rhode Island.

His academic qualifications include an MSc in Defence Studies from National University, Bangladesh, and an MSc in Strategic Studies from Tamil Nadu University in India. He also completed a Senior Staff Course at the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre in Savar and is pursuing a PhD at Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP).

During his distinguished naval career, Mainul Hasan held several key command, staff and leadership positions. He served as Commander Chattogram Naval Area and Commander Bangladesh Naval Fleet. He also became the first Commandant of the Navy Training and Doctrine Command and served as Commodore Naval Aviation.

An experienced navigator, he commanded a corvette, two offshore patrol vessels, three medium and small fast attack craft, and a missile boat. He also served as Commanding Officer of the Flying Wing and contributed to the development of the Bangladesh Navy's Naval Aviation Wing.

At Naval Headquarters, he served as Director of Naval Plans and Naval Aviation and as Naval Secretary. He also served as Deputy Director General of the Bangladesh Coast Guard under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

On the international front, he served as a military observer with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire in 2007-2008. He also represented the Bangladesh Navy at various international military exercises, conferences and seminars.

In recognition of his professional contributions, Rear Admiral Mainul Hasan received the Bangladesh Navy's highest peacetime award, the Nau Bahini Padak, as well as the Distinguished Service Medal and the Bangladesh Coast Guard Medal.

Under his leadership, the Bangladesh Coast Guard is expected to further strengthen its professional capabilities and modernise its operations, while enhancing security in the country's maritime, coastal and riverine areas and protecting public safety.

-HIS