Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) has requested the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations to take more force from Bangladesh, including members of the police and armed forces, for the UN peacekeeping mission.
He made this request when Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix met the Adviser at his office in the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Sunday (April 20, 2025) afternoon.
The meeting discussed in detail the contribution of Bangladesh to the UN peacekeeping mission, its current position, future plans, necessary training and capacity building of officers and forces to make them fit for the mission, sending female platoons consisting of female police officers, the possibility of sending BGB and Ansar members to the mission, sending Formed Police Units (FPUs) to South Sudan and the Central African Republic, the Rohingya problem, etc.
At the beginning of the meeting, welcoming the Under Secretary General, the Advisor said, Bangladesh was once the top country in terms of sending peacekeepers to the UN peacekeeping mission. Over time, we are currently in third place. Nepal and Rwanda are currently in first and second place. He said, we want to regain the first place in terms of sending peacekeepers to the UN peacekeeping mission. We want to send BGB members to different countries for border management and prevention of cross-border crimes under the UN peacekeeping mission. Moreover, there is also a wide scope for sending trained Ansar members to the mission. In this regard, we absolutely need the UN’s cooperation.
Recognizing Bangladesh’s contribution to the UN peacekeeping mission, the Under Secretary General said, “Members of various forces of Bangladesh, including the police, have been making commendable contributions to the UN peacekeeping mission by demonstrating their talent, skills and abilities. Bangladesh is currently one of the top countries in terms of sending peacekeepers to the UN peacekeeping mission. We are trying to ensure that Bangladeshi officers can perform more responsibilities in top positions there.” He mentioned the contribution of the UN peacekeeping mission in establishing peace and prosperity around the world. The advisor said, “We have a female platoon ready to be sent to the UN peacekeeping mission. The cooperation of the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO) is needed in this regard so that they can be quickly deployed in the peacekeeping mission after the necessary screening and testing.” He said that in 2013, Bangladesh responded to the UN request and immediately and successfully deployed two Formed Police Units (FPUs) from the Democratic Republic of Congo to South Sudan. Despite Bangladesh’s commendable performance, there is currently no FPU there. He added that although the UN has maintained a mission in the Central African Republic since 2014, Bangladesh does not have any FPU representation there either. The Advisor requested the Under-Secretary-General to take FPUs from Bangladesh to these two countries.
The Advisor further said that in addition to peacekeeping missions, the UN has been providing assistance in the shelter and rehabilitation of Rohingyas in Bangladesh from the beginning. He said that after the recent visit of the UN Secretary-General to Bangladesh, there has been hope among our people for the resolution of the Rohingya problem. The Advisor at this time sought more timely and effective initiatives by the UN in the return of Rohingyas to their homeland, Myanmar.
Additional Secretary (Political and ICT) Khandaker Md. Mahabubur Rahman of the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Joint Secretary of the Political-1 Branch Md. Jasim Uddin Khan and other concerned officials were present at the meeting.
