Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, OSP, NPP, rcds, afwc, psc, PhD

Mohammad Musa is a two star military admiral of Bangladesh Navy and the incumbent Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations). He joined Bangladesh Navy on 27 January 1985. Following a year of training at the Bangladesh Military and Naval Academy, he was selected to undergo Officer’s Basic Training with the Royal Malaysian Navy. Thus he became the first officer from Bangladesh to receive training in the Malaysian Navy. He was commissioned in the Executive Branch on 01 July 1987. He has achieved exceptional competence and strong worldwide acceptance because of his high professionalism, integrity, vision, and leadership qualities.

Professional career

The officer has a remarkable combination of 39 years of professional experience. Throughout his professional career he has held a fine blend of command, staff and instructional appointments. He has commanded six warships, from patrol craft to frigates, and ultimately the Bangladesh Navy's flagship, BNS Bangabandhu (Guided Missile Frigate). He also commanded BNS ISSA KHAN, the largest naval establishment of the Bangladesh Navy. The Admiral held key positions at Naval Headquarters of Bangladesh Navy, serving as the Director of four directorates: Naval Plans, Submarine, Naval Aviation, and the Blue Economy Cell. Bangladesh Navy has three area commanders, and he served as Commander Dhaka Naval Area (the capital) and as the Commander Khulna Naval Area (Western Naval Command) in that capacity.

The Admiral served as the Chairman of Mongla Port Authority from 2021 to 2023, overseeing the second-largest seaport in Bangladesh. The Admiral worked tirelessly to develop the port, aiming to transform it into an international standard facility that would serve as a southwestern gateway and a hub for regional connectivity. During his tenure, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the port managed to handle a record number of ships and cargo, generating unprecedented revenue of $48 million USD-the highest in its 70-year history.

The Admiral also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Maritime University of Bangladesh, the country’s sole maritime university. He had performed his duties for this specialized university from 2023 to 2024, as the third Vice-Chancellor. He initiated efforts to foster collaboration to promote co-operation with esteemed international maritime organizations for joint research and academic exchange in maritime co-operation programme. He also launched the first Maritime Business Incubator, called "Startup Blue," to foster innovative business ideas and promote entrepreneurship within the maritime sector. Admiral Musa has lead the Maritime University, with the goal of enhancing academic and research capabilities to achieve maritime excellence in Bangladesh by developing skilled human resources for maritime institutions and industries.

The Admiral was appointed as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Personnel) from September 2024 to January 2025. During his tenure, he made significant contributions to enhance training, welfare, and personnel selection processes, with a particular focus on the development of the Navy Medical College in Chattogram. In addition, he was a distinguished guest speaker at the BIISS seminar held in 2024, showcasing his expertise and leadership in naval affairs on Maritime Security in the Bay of Bengal.

The officer was appointed as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) on 01 January 2025. As the ACNS (Operations), he is currently responsible for operational plans/policy deployment of BN Ships/Units within the Bangladesh Navy. His duties include managing policy matters, procurement, operational training, discipline and manning for all personnel across ships and naval establishments.

Detail of Award

The Admiral has impressive record of achievements in his distinguished career. He received ‘National Standard’ from the Honorable Prime Minister for outstanding contribution both at naval and national levels. He also received the esteemed "National Standard Award" from the Honorable President. The Admiral has also received peace time award 'Oshamanno Seba Padak' (Excellence in Service Award), ‘Nou Parodorshita Padak’ (Naval Proficiency Award) and ‘National Integrity Award’ as recognition of his outstanding performance. It is to mention that as recognition of his extraordinary service to the Bangladesh navy, The Admiral has received the Chief of Naval Staff’s commendation award three times during his glorious career.

Academic Qualification

In his Academic Credential, he has four master's degrees in War Studies, English Literature, International Security & Strategic Studies and Business Administration respectively. The Admiral completed MA in "International Security and Strategy" from King's College London. He has completed his M Phil from Bangladesh University of Professionals. Lastly he completed PhD in "Maritime Awareness: Bangladesh Perspective" from Jahangirnagar University.

Rear Admiral Musa is an alumnus of Defence Services Command and Staff College, French Inter Forces War College, National Defence College, Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), UK and king’s College, London. He is also a fellow of the Capstone Course (2023/1) of the prestigious National Defence College, Dhaka.

Other Achievement and Activities

The Admiral has a passion for research on core maritime issues, particularly Maritime Law, Ocean Governance and Policy, Sustainable Blue Economy, Coastal Zone Management and regional maritime partnership issues. He has a number of research publications in reputed journals to his credit. His numerous professional articles were also published in various Defence and Security Journals at home and abroad.

Admiral has attended various national and international seminars and symposiums. He represented Bangladesh in the State Party meeting at the United Nations in 2013. He attended Senior Executive Decision-Making Programme at Institute for Security Governance in California in 2019. He also attended the 12th Regional Sea Power Symposium in Italy and delivered a lecture on ‘Shaping of Navies in the Blue century’. His interviews were published in six international defence & Security Journals.

The Admiral serves as distinguished guest speaker, keynote speaker, and lecturer at various institutions, universities, and seminars, both nationally and internationally, focusing on topics such as the Blue Economy, Maritime Security and Strategy, and issues related to Maritime Governance and Policy. He was a keynote speaker and resource person of Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (BORI) and National Defence College.

Globally, He has delivered lectures on contemporary maritime cooperation and the Blue Economy at prestigious institutions, including the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi, Gujarat National Law University, and the National Institute of Oceanography in India, as well as Maldives National University, Yokohama City University, and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology in Japan. In February 2024, he gave a lead talk at the 3rd World Ocean Science Congress (WOSC 2024) in Chennai, India. Through each engagement, he emphasizes cooperation and advancement, highlighting the path toward a sustainable maritime economy and development.

Recently he has been awarded the Honorary Fellowship by the UK Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER), Oxford University. He received this honor in appreciation of his outstanding national and international contributions to maritime issues. The award was presented during the 13th International Conference on "Restructuring of the Global Economy (ROGE): Promoting Sustainability. At the conference, he also delivered a keynote paper titled “Sustainable Ocean Economy: Bangladesh’s Journey on the Roadmap to a Blue Economy”.

List of various Institutions/ Universities/ Seminars as a guest speaker, keynote speaker and lecturer:

Hobbies

He is an avid golfer who enjoys reading books and listening to music.

Admiral Musa is acknowledged as a leading think tank for his substantial contributions to the Blue Economy and core maritime issues. His expertise in maritime security and sustainable practices has impacted policy development at national and international levels. He actively promotes collaborative initiatives to face challenges in maritime governance, promoting a balanced approach to economic growth and environmental security. Through his lectures and engagements, he inspires future leaders in maritime fields to prioritize sustainability and innovation.

Now the Admiral intends to embark on postdoctoral studies focused on the Blue Economy and key maritime topics such as Maritime Policy and Governance, Maritime Tourism, Blue Economy Innovations, Maritime Security and Trade, Marine Biodiversity Conservation etc. With his extensive knowledge and practical experience, Admiral Musa's research could play a vital role in creating a more sustainable and equitable future for the world's oceans and the economies that depend on them.