Dhaka, Dec 25 (BDNEWS) – The second anniversary of Benin tragedy was observed in the country with due respect Sunday.
On this day in 2003, 15 Bangladesh Army officers, who had been carrying out UN peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia, were killed in an air crash in the West African country of Benin.
Commemorating the martyrs, Rhythm Cultural Society organised a reminiscing meeting at the National Press Club in the morning.
The officers who were killed in the plane crash ranked from captain to lieutenant colonel.
Recalling the contribution of the 15 officers in the UN missions, the speakers told the meeting that the members of the Armed Forces have been playing a significant role in brightening the country's image abroad through peacekeeping activities.
Water Resources Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmad (Bir Bikram), former army chief Lieutenant General (retd) M Atiqur Rahman Chowdhury, Retired Armed Forces Welfare Association chairman Major General (retd) Amin Ahmed Chowdhury (Bir Bikram), Prof Dr Sayed Anwar Hossain, Brigadier General (retd) Mohammad Shahedul Anam Khan, Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, United Nations advisor Dr NI Khan, Rotarian Ferdousi Ali and Rhythm president Major (retd) Amin Ahmed Afsari addressed the meeting.
About a demand for setting up a memorial for Bangladeshi soldiers killed while participating UN peacekeeping missions, the minister asked the Rhythm Cultural Society and family members of the victims to formally apply to the Prime Minister.
Presenting the keynote paper Shahedul Anam Khan said the UN gives priority to Bangladesh for deployment of peacekeeping missions in any part of the world as they (Bangladeshis) proved their ability to establish peace in the strife-torn regions.
The meeting began with the national anthem and one minute silence was observed showing respect to the Benin victims.
The 15 Bangladeshi army officers, among the 119 people, killed in the plane crash in Benin, are -- Lieutenant Colonel SM Shamshul Arefin, Major Abdur Rahim Mia, Major Mirza Md A Baten, Major Imtiaz Uddin Ahmed, Major Mosharraf Hossain, Major M Rawnak Akhtar, Major Mustafizur Rahman Chowdhury, Captain Arifur Rahman Talukder, Captain Farid Uddin Ahmed, Captain Alauddin Sardar, Captain Rakibul Hasan, Captain Zahidul Islam, Captain Rafiqul Islam, Captain Abdul Mabud and Senior Warrant Officer Shafiqul Islam.
Bangladesh has so far sent a total of 30,091 troops in 28 UN missions in different parts of the world.
BDNEWS/1743 hrs
