Bangladesh on Monday announced the appointment of Air Commodore M Rafiqul Islam as the new head of the country's air force saying he would take charge from June 4. Islam, 49, succeeds Air Vice-Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed, who is retiring. Islam will be promoted to the rank of air vice-marshal, while Ahmed will be promoted to air marshal a day before his retirement, the statement said. This will make Ahmed the first Bangladeshi air force officer to be promoted to air marshal since the country's independence in 1971. Bureau Report