Like other countries, Bangladesh will observe the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers tomorrow with due respect.
The International Day of UN Peacekeepers was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002 to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
This year’s theme for the Day is “the Future of Peacekeeping”.
On the occasion of the day, a peacekeepers’ run/rally-2025 in honour of the peacekeepers will start in the morning tomorrow. Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury will be present as the chief guest at the rally.
According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a reception for the injured peacekeepers and a special presentation on UN peacekeeping operations will be held at 11:00am at the China-Friendship Conference Centre.
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed is expected to be the chief guest at the function, press release said.
Special journal and supplements will be published in national dailies and special talk shows will be aired on various private televisions including Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar highlighting the significance of the day.
Arrangements have been made to air documentary prepared on Bangladesh’s peacekeeping activities on Bangladesh Television and other private television channels.
Members of advisory council, ambassadors/high commissioners of various countries in Dhaka, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, chiefs of the three services, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, Inspector General of Police, senior officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and media personalities, as well as senior military and civilian officials will attend the reception.
According to the UN information, Bangladesh is the 3rd largest contributor of military and police personnel to United Nations Peacekeeping with more than 5,600, including 447 women, deployed to Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon and South Sudan.
Mentionable, in 1948, the historic decision was made to deploy military observers to the Middle East to supervise the implementation of Israel-Arab Armistice Agreements that became the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization. Since then, more than two million peacekeepers have served in 71 operations around the world. Today, some 68,000 women and men serve as military, police and civilian personnel in 11 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. One hundred ninety countries currently contribute uniformed personnel.
