UN Peacekeepers branding Bangladesh as a peace- loving nation: Momen

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has lauded the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers as "ambassadors of peace", saying they are helping brand the country abroad as a peace-loving nation.

"Even during this global pandemic, our peacekeepers continue to serve in various peacekeeping missions, fearlessly rendering their responsibilities," he said on Friday.

Dr Momen felicitated all Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their dedicated service to humanity and hoped that their endeavours will help achieve sustainable peace for the international community. He made the remarks while inaugurating "Peacekeepers Day Rally: Run to Commemorate the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers-2021" in Dhaka.

Bangladesh remains a proud contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. It is currently the top contributor of military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping missions, with almost 6,500 peacekeepers currently deployed in eight countries.

"Our peacekeepers are deployed in some of the most challenging hotspots in the world, where they diligently work for peace, security and human rights of the local people and the protection of civilians along with performing other multi-faceted roles," he said.

Dr Momen recalled that he was personally involved in engaging valiant soldiers in a mission to restore democracy and voice of the people in Haiti in 1994, which subsequently helped them to engage with UN peacekeeping operations more actively.

"During my six-year tenure at the UN as Bangladesh's permanent representative, with the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, I could engage women peacekeepers for the first time, and many more police and naval forces in the UN peacekeeping missions," he said.

What could be a better way to fulfil Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's dream for a peaceful world, Dr Momen said.