[1] In May 2024, United States imposed sanctions on Ahmed and his immediate family members on allegation of his involvement in corruption.

[4] His ancestral home is in the village of Tarki in Sultanabad Union, Matlab Uttar Upazila, Chandpur District.

He completed his SSC from Mohammadpur Government High School in 1977 and HSC from Notre Dame College, Dhaka.

Ahmed joined the Bangladesh Military Academy on 7 August 1981 in 8th BMA long course, and was commissioned in the regiment of artillery on 10 June 1983.

The academic council and syndicate meeting of Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP)[6] conferred the PhD.

[22] In 2017, media reported that Joseph had spent 20 months in hospital, allegedly without any medical reason, and in privileged conditions.

[24][23] On 1 February 2021, Qatar-based Al Jazeera broadcast a one-hour long investigative documentary by David Bergman, son-in-law of prominent Bangladeshi politician Kamal Hossain and Journalist Zulkarnain Saer Khan titled All the Prime Minister's Men,[25] which revealed how Ahmed protected his brothers, Haris and Anis Ahmed, after they fled abroad to escape law enforcement despite them both being currently wanted by Bangladeshi law enforcement.

In addition, leaked documents obtained by Al Jazeera revealed how Aziz used officers to help Haris create a false identity, which was then used to set up businesses in Europe and buy properties around the world.

[27] The documentary also provided photographic evidence that in March 2019, Harris and Anis visited Dhaka for the wedding of Aziz's son, where the two fugitives partied alongside Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid and foreign dignitaries during an opulent ceremony.

[28] Bangladesh Army Headquarters condemned Al Jazeera report and told it was false, abusive, politically motivated to disrupt the harmony among different government organs of the country.

[30] In an audio recording broadcast by Al Jazeera, Ahmed admitted to gain financially for being Chief of Army Staff, and wants to use that money to travel overseas and enjoy lavish life.

[34][35] Human Rights Watch United Nations reported a long pattern of extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and torture by the Bangladesh Army under Ahmed's control.