UN honours 12 Bangladeshi peacekeepers

Desk Report: The United Nations (UN) has awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal to 12 fallen peacekeepers from Bangladesh—along with 107 others fallen peacekeepers from 27 member states—to honour their supreme sacrifice. They lost their lives while on duty in various parts of the world to ensure global peace under the aegis of UN peace operations in 2018.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented the medals to the respective Permanent Representatives of the 27 countries at the event held in New York marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on Friday.

Ambassador Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the UN, received the medals on behalf of Bangladesh.

The UN chief laid a floral wreath in honour of all fallen peacekeepers at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site on the North Lawn of the UN headqurters.

He said: "Today, we honour 119 brave men and women who lost their lives while serving the United Nations. Hailing from different backgrounds, our fallen heroes were united in their efforts to help the UN attain its most important objective - to save future generations from the scourge of war."

Defense Advisor of the Mission Brigadier-General Khan Firoz Ahmed; other relevant officers from the Mission; and officers from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Police working at the UN Headquarters were also present.

The Permanent Mission will make special arrangements to send the medals to the family members of the 12 fallen Bangladeshi peacekeepers , read a press release on Saturday.

The fallen peacekeepers of Bangladesh who posthumously received the Dag Hammarskjold Medals are: Sainik Arzan Howlader, Sainik Md Ripul Miah, Sainik Mohammad Jamal Uddin, Warrant Officer Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, Sainik Mohammad Rayhan Ali, Lance Corporal Mohammad Akter Hossain, Sainik Mohammad Rasheduzzaman, Sainik Md Zane Alam, Sainik Md Motiar Rahman, Sainik Md Monjur Ali, Lance Corporal Md Mizanur Rahaman, and Lieutenant Commander Md Ashraf Siddiqui.

The medals bear the names of Secretary-General Hammarskjold as well the names of the fallen peacekeepers.

The global theme for this year's commemoration is "Protecting Civilians, Protecting Peace."

While the day was marked at the UN headquarters on Friday, UN missions and offices around the world will commemorate the Day on May 29.

Bangladesh is the second-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping. So far, 146 peacekeepers from Bangladesh have lost their lives on duty while serving UN Peace Operations in various parts of the world.

risingbd/Dhaka/May 25, 2019/AKA