Army chief returns home after Australia and US visits

Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has returned home after a nine-day official visit to Australia and the United States. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) said he arrived back in the country on Saturday (17 October). The visit included meetings with defence officials of both countries, tours of military installations and participation in international defence events.

At the start of the tour, the army chief took part in The Chief of Army Symposium and Land Forces International Defence Exposition 2026 in Perth, Australia. The event was attended by people from the defence sector and the armed forces. Besides attending it, he visited Deakin University in Melbourne.

During the university visit, he discussed expanding cooperation in education and research with the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) of Bangladesh. Academic exchange between the two institutions and wider opportunities for joint research also featured in the discussions.

After the Australia leg, General Waker-Uz-Zaman travelled to Washington, DC, in the United States. There he took part in the annual meeting and exposition of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). During this part of the tour, he held courtesy calls and exchanged views with key figures from the US defence sector.

The army chief also visited various military installations in the two countries. These engagements are likely to strengthen the existing ties between the Bangladesh Army and the Australian Army, the US Army and US Army Pacific (USARPAC).

According to ISPR, the visit is expected to broaden opportunities for professional contact, military training, mutual cooperation and exchange of experience with the countries concerned.