Bangladesh observes UN Peacekeepers day. Photo: ISPR

DHAKA, May 29, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh today joined the international community to observe the International United Nations Peacekeepers Day paying tributes to blue helmet forces for their role in upholding peace in troubled global regions. 

   According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) directorate as part of the celebration, a reception in honour of wounded UN peacekeepers was staged at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.

   President Mohammad Shahab Uddin, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, three armed forces chiefs and armed forces division chief (PSO) and police chief issued separate statements to mark the day.

   Un Secretary General António Guterres issued a statement from his office in New York and UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Gwyn Lewis released another message from Bangladesh, a leading contributor to the blue helmet missions. 

   Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed joined as the chief guest the event at the conference hall where army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman spoke as the senior most Bangladeshi peacekeeper in UN peacekeeping missions.

   A one minute silence was observed for the martyred peacekeepers across the world at the hall function that began with recitation from the Holy Quran while presentations on the UN peacekeeping missions marked the event. 

   The event witnessed special presentations on the UN blue helmet missions following a welcome address by UN Resident Coordinator to Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis while acting foreign secretary M Ruhul Alam Siddiqui also spoke.

   The adviser later talked to Bangladeshi armed forces and police peacekeepers abroad through a video teleconference.

   The interim government’s advisory council members, ambassadors and high commissioners representing different countries attended the function.

   The event was joined as well by Bangladesh navy and air force chiefs, senior secretaries and secretaries, police’s inspector general, armed forces division officials and representatives of UN agencies in Bangladesh, senior military and civil officers and other dignitaries.

  Bangladesh began the observance of the UN-declared day at early morning staging a “Peacekeeper Run/Rally-2025” at 6.15 am while the run began from the Old Airport Mosque area at Tejgaon in Dhaka and other divisional cities.

   Home Adviser retired lieutenant general  M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury inaugurated the rally as the chief guest, which participated by the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division, peacekeepers from the armed forces and police, the foreign ministry, UN agencies and designated representatives of inter-service organizations.

   According to the ISPR statement a special journal was published highlighting the UN Peacekeeping while different national dailies published supplements to mark the day.

   The public and private electronic media also organized special talks.