Major General Zia's career is enriched with a number of military and academic qualifications from both home and abroad that includes 'Potential Platoon Commander Course', 'Military Science Course', 'Defence Services Command and Staff Course', 'National Defence Course', 'Masters in Defence Studies' and 'Master of Philosophy in Strategic Studies'. He also attended 'Overseas Directing Staff Course' in UK.

Brief on Profession:
Major General Zia has held command, staff and instructional appointments of various tiers. That includes in the sub-unit Commander, Unit as Second in Command, Unit in the Battalion, Commanding Officer and Brigade Commander.

In the staff position he has served as Intelligence Officer, Security Officer, Training Officer, Logistics Officer and Administration Officer.

He has worked as Instructor at Bangladesh Military Academy, and as 'Directing Staff' at the Defence Services Command and Staff College of Bangladesh.

Major General Zia served for the 'United Nations' in Haiti as Operational Desk Officer and later in Sudan as Staff Officer. He also served as the Defence Adviser of Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, India.