UN pays tribute to two Bangladeshi fallen peacekeepers

The United Nations (UN) has awarded two fallen peacekeepers from Bangladesh with 'Dag Hammarskjold Medal' posthumously in recognition of their sacrifice to help maintain peace.

The 'Dag Hammarskjold Medal' awarded posthumously to two Bangladeshi fallen peacekeepers was handed over by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a ceremony to honour 117 peacekeepers of 42 countries who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty for world peace in 2021, a press release on Friday said.

"The sacrifice of the peacekeepers only strengthens our resolve to continue serving the cause of peace" said Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima while receiving the Medals on behalf of her country on Thursday at UN Headquarters in New York.

The two Bangladeshi fallen peacekeepers are: Major A K M Mahmudul Hasan (was serving in MINUSCA) and Lance Corporal Md. Rabiul Mollah (was serving in UNMISS). 

The respective Permanent Representatives of 42 countries were present in the ceremony and received the awards on behalf of their countries.

Ambassador Fatima also signed the condolence book kept in the UNHQs while the Bangladesh Permanent Mission will make necessary arrangements to send the medals to the family members of the deceased peacekeepers.

After the ceremony, Ambassador Fatima laid floral wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial Site in the North Lawn of the UNHQs in honour of all peacekeepers who have lost their lives during noble service with a peacekeeping operation.

She was accompanied by the officers of the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN in New York and the members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces serving in the UNHQs.

Ambassador Fatima paid solemn tribute to all valiant peacekeepers who lost their lives in the service of peacekeeping and expressed deepest condolences to their families for their irreplaceable loss.

She also mentioned that Bangladesh has lost many of its brave souls in the line of their sacred duty for world peace in a condolence message given on the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

Bangladesh is currently the top contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations and around 6,802 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are deployed in 9 peacekeeping missions at present.

So far, 161 peacekeepers from Bangladesh have lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping operations.

After a two-year break, this year, the United Nations has observed the 'International Day of the UN Peacekeepers' at the UN headquarters premises in person.