Put Bangladesh in peacekeeping offices: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has advocated the inclusion of Bangladesh in the decision-making body of the UN Peacekeeping Mission to increase the coordination between those working on the ground and those making decisions.

She made the request when UN Under-Secretary-General on Department of Peacekeeping Operation Herve Ladsous called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban on Thursday.

Her Deputy Press Secretary M Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.

Hasina told Ladsous that Bangladesh was now the largest contributing country in the peacekeeping mission of the UN. It would be easier for the decision-making body to understand requirements of the field level if Bangladesh was included in the process.

She also said the senior Bangladeshi officials who have gone on peacekeeping missions would give better suggestions for the requirements of the field level.

Herve Ladsous said Bangladesh was a strong partner in peacekeeping and UN recognised the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the mission.

He highly praised Bangladeshi peacekeepers, especially the women peacekeepers, for their committed, disciplined and courageous roles in the mission.

He said that the UN peacekeeping mission needed more peacekeepers in South Sudan.

The senior UN official expressed his organisation's interest to take more helicopter, riverine vessels and other equipment from Bangladesh.

He praised the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) which is dedicated to training of peacekeepers for employment in all types of UNPSO (UN Peace Support Operations).

Under-Secretary-General Ladsous conveyed the greetings of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the prime minister for the economic advancement of Bangladesh despite the global recession.

Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Neal Walker were present among others during the call on.