Lt Gen Masud Uddin Chowdhury was posted to the foreign ministry only six days after he was moved to the National Defence College (NDC) from his high-level post as the principal staff officer of the Armed Forces Division (AFD).
A government press release yesterday announced his new job ordered by President Iajuddin Ahmed. Lt Gen Zahurul Alam was also placed under the foreign ministry last week after being transferred from the NDC.
The same day last week, Lt Gen Masud had resigned from his position as the chief coordinator of the National Coordination Committee on Corruption and Serious Crimes (NCC).
One of the most prominent military officials during the present caretaker government, Masud was promoted to Lieutenant General (three star) from Major General (two star) last year and took over as the principal staff officer of the AFD.
Previously, he was in charge of the 9th Infantry Division in Savar when the state of emergency was declared January 11, 2007.
Lt Gen Masud was drafted from the Jatiya Rakshi Bahini in 1975. He was appointed the Counter-Intelligence Bureau chief at the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence by the previous BNP-led coalition government.
He is the brother-in-law of BNP chair and former prime minister Khaleda Zia's younger brother, Sayeed Iskander.
Foreign ministry sources said Masud, along with Lt Gen Zahur, would be considered for a number of vacant ambassadorial posts in Western Europe.
Currently, the post of ambassador or high commissioner is vacant in Germany, France, Australia, Libya, the Maldives, and Morocco.
Last year, two generals were also transferred out of key military posts and placed under the foreign ministry. Later, Maj Gen Mostafa Reza Noor was appointed ambassador to Kuwait and Maj Gen Mohammad Ishtiaq was posted as the ambassador to Turkey.