Army chief likely to visit India in October

Any schedule for a visit will be shared once finalised, ISPR says

Bangladesh's Chief of Army Staff Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman is expected to attend a conference organised by India for troop-contributing countries to UN peacekeeping missions.

The two-day conference will begin on Oct 14 in New Delhi, according to Indian media outlet The Statesman.

Asked about the matter, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) told bdnews24.com it had no information at present, adding that any schedule of the Army chief’s visit would be announced once finalised. If confirmed, it will be Bangladesh's first high-level trip to India since Aug 5, 2024.

The top leadership of the military forces of more than 30 countries will participate in the conference.

Indian Army’s Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor, quoted by the Statesman, described the conference as a “unique platform”.

He was also quoted as saying the conference will bring together the combined experience, wisdom, and commitment of militaries and states to uphold the international community’s joint responsibility of maintaining global peace under the UN Charter.

Rakesh added that the event will feature two plenary sessions -- one on enhancing the UN peacekeeping missions’ capacity for sustainable operations and mobilising necessary logistics, while the other will highlight the role of technology in peacekeeping drives, the statesman reported.

According to UN peacekeeping data, Bangladesh currently has 5,685 personnel deployed across different countries, ranking third among troop-contributing nations.