Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said that Bangladesh’s peacekeepers are a symbol of the country’s glory and dignity in establishing world peace.
He said Bangladesh’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations is globally recognized and the government is committed to further strengthening the country’s position on peace, stability and humanity.
He was speaking as the chief guest at a function organised at the Senakunj of Dhaka Cantonment on the occasion of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Wednesday.
The prime minister said that so far, 175 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have dedicated their lives to perform their duties under the UN flag. Their sacrifices will always be remembered in the history of world peace. He praised the peacekeepers for their professionalism, bravery and brightening the image of the country in the international arena.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister handed over special honours to the families of the six soldiers who were martyred during his time in the peacekeeping mission in Sudan in 2025. He also honored the injured members of the recent missions. Later, he interacted virtually with Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were serving in different countries of the world.
Highlighting the statistics of Bangladesh’s peacekeeping operations, the prime minister said more than two lakh members of the Armed Forces and Police Force have served in about sixty-three UN missions in the world so far. Currently, four thousand Bangladeshi peacekeepers are working in nine missions around the world. Preparations are also underway to participate in a new peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
Appreciating the contribution of women peacekeepers, she said about eleven percent of the members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces and Police in the UN mission are women, which has added a new dimension to international peacekeeping operations.
Highlighting the importance of discipline, professionalism and chain of command of the armed forces, the Prime Minister said the forces must work together to protect the country’s independence, sovereignty and international dignity. He also recalled the role of the armed forces in dealing with various crises of the past.
Senior officials of the government, armed forces and top police officials were present on the occasion. The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Diplomats and International Representatives of different countries also attended the event.