Dhaka, Bangladesh (CU)_ Bangladesh Army Chief Aziz Ahmed met the UN officials in New York on Tuesday. He conducted meetings with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Undersecretary General for peacekeeping operations, and Atul Khare, Undersecretary General for operational support. A press release said that during the meeting, General Aziz Ahmed emphasized Bangladesh’s staunch commitment and continued support for UN peacekeeping operations.
General Aziz called for more Bangladeshi peacekeepers to be deployed internationally on UN peacekeeping missions. The Army head also asked the UN to assign more Bangladeshi officers in the senior positions in peace operations and UN headquarters. The release said that the UN Undersecretary General Lacroix thanked the Bangladeshi peacekeepers assigned in various UN peacekeeping missions for their professionalism, discipline, commitment and courage.
General Lacroix appreciated the Bangladeshi government for its tremendous support to the peace operations. Bangladesh has now become top troops and police contributing country in the world. General Aziz Ahmed is on an official visit to USA since January 29, as the US government has formally invited him. At the meeting, Lacroix guaranteed Aziz that more Bangladeshi peacekeepers would be deployed in the future.
The army chief also appreciated Atul Khare for enlisting Bangladesh Biman as a carrier for UN peacekeepers. Atul Khare appreciated the indispensable contribution of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in peacekeeping, climate change, women’s empowerment and humanitarian issues. He also thanked the Government of Bangladesh for its important role in shipping UN peacekeepers through Bangladesh Biman in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They also addressed the Bangladesh Navy, the Bangladesh Air Force and the Bangladesh Police in the light of UN peacekeeping operations. Major General Jubaer Salehin, commandant of the Defense Services Command and Staff College, and Brigadier General M Sadequzzaman, the defense advisor to Bangladesh’s permanent mission to the United Nations, also accompanied General Aziz on his official visit.
