Shaikh Abdul Hannan

Shaikh Abdul Hannan (born 1 August 1963)^[1] is a Bangladeshi retired four-star air officer who served as 16th Chief of Air Staff of the Bangladesh Air Force. On 12 June 2021, Hannan took over command of the Bangladesh Air Force from his predecessor Masihuzzaman Serniabat.^[3][4][5][6]

Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan
শেখ আব্দুল হান্নান
Military Portrait
16th Chief of Air Staff
In office 12 June 2021 – 11 June 2024
President	Abdul Hamid Mohammed Shahabuddin
Prime Minister	Sheikh Hasina
Preceded by	Masihuzzaman Serniabat
Succeeded by	Hasan Mahmood Khan
Personal details
Born	(1963-08-01) 1 August 1963 (age 62) Bagerhat, East Pakistan[1][2]
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Alma mater	Bhola Govt. College Defence Services Command and Staff College PAF Air War College National Defence University, Pakistan
Military service
Allegiance	Bangladesh
Branch/service	Bangladesh Air Force
Years of service	1981–2024
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Unit	No. 18 Squadron
Commands	• AOC of BAF Base Sheikh Hasina • AOC of BAF Base Matiur Rahman • Commandant of Bangabandhu Aeronautical Centre • Deputy Commandant of 101 Special Flying Unit, Dhaka • Deputy commandant of Defence Services Command and Staff College • SDS (Air) of National Defence College
Battles/wars	UNMIBH, MONUSCO

Career

Hannan was commissioned on 14 July 1984 as a General Duties Pilot. The Air Chief Marshal is a category 'A' pilot and a qualified flying instructor.^[7] He also holds the proficiency wing and is chief examiner of helicopter examiner board of MI-17/171. An alumnus of Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Mirpur. Hannan graduated from Pakistan Air Force Air War College in 1999 and received his MDS and MSS degrees. He is the Top Graduate' of the 2014 class of National Defence University, Islamabad, where he received his MSc in National Security and War Studies while completing the National Security and War Course (nswc).^[8][9]

Hannan served in the United Nations Protection Force in Bosnia Herzegovina (UNPROFOR) in 1995. He also led the BAF Contingent (BAN AIR-4) in the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in 2006–07.

On 12 June 2021, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina appointed Hannan as Chief of Air Staff and he assumed charge on 12 June 2021.^[10][11][12]

Hannan has been accused of embezzling more than $245 million from Bangladesh Air Force's annual budget and siphoning out of the country to Canada, the United States of America and the United Arab Emirates.^[13] The Anti-Corruption Commission has been investigating the matter after a formal complaint has been filed by a group of lawyers.^[14] In May 2025, a travel ban was issued against him and his wife by the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md. Zakir Hossain.^[15] His and his family's account were frozen following a court verdict.^[16]

Personal life

The Air Chief Marshal is married to Tahmida Hannan^[17][18] and the couple has a son.^{[citation needed]}