[🇧🇩-Land] Bangladesh Army and Peacekeeping Mission

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UN secretary-general calls Yunus to condole Bangladeshi peacekeepers deaths

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to express his condolences over the death of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers in a drone attack in Sudan. The Chief Advisor’s Office said the conversation took place at 7pm on Sunday. “I am ca

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

UN secretary-general calls Yunus to condole Bangladeshi peacekeepers deaths

bdnews24.com
Published :
Dec 14, 2025 22:54
Updated :
Dec 14, 2025 22:54

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus to express his condolences over the death of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers in a drone attack in Sudan.

The Chief Advisor’s Office said the conversation took place at 7pm on Sunday.

“I am calling to express my deep condolences. I am devastated,” Guterres told Yunus, adding that he was horrified by the attack.

The UN chief expressed his solidarity with Bangladesh and requested the chief advisor to convey his condolences to the bereaved families.

Yunus said he is deeply saddened by the loss of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers and urged the UN to facilitate the evacuation of the injured soldiers to top medical facilities. He also called on the UN to ensure the swift repatriation of the bodies.​

 

[Saif]

Six deaths in Sudan, countless tears in Bangladeshi villages

With the latest deaths, number of Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in UN missions rises to 174

www.thedailystar.net

Six deaths in Sudan, countless tears in Bangladeshi villages
With the latest deaths, number of Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in UN missions rises to 174

Grief engulfed several villages across Bangladesh after six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed in a drone attack on a United Nations base in Sudan's Abyei region on Saturday, leaving families and communities mourning lives lost far from home.

The families of the slain soldiers are struggling to cope with the sudden loss of their loved ones, who had left home just some weeks earlier to serve in the UN peacekeeping mission.

On Saturday afternoon, 30-year-old Corporal Masud Rana had told his wife that he would call again after a short rest before heading back to duty.

That conversation turned out to be their last.

In the evening, his family in Natore learned that Masud was among six UN peacekeepers from the Bangladesh Army killed in the attack.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attack was carried out by a separatist armed group between 3:40pm and 3:50pm (local time), while the peacekeepers were on duty at the base.

Masud's mother, Marjina Begum, broke down as she recalled speaking to her son just a day earlier.

"I talked to him yesterday (Saturday)," she said, sobbing.

"When I asked about his duty, he said, 'Ma, there is no hardship now. The duty is lighter.' He told me to stay well. That was the last thing he said."

Masud's wife, Asmaul Husna Ankhi, remains stunned. "I spoke to him yesterday afternoon," she said. "He said he would call me again, after taking half an hour's rest before going on duty. I waited. That half hour still has not ended."

Family members said that Masud joined Bangladesh Army in 2006. His two brothers are also serving in the military. He left for Sudan on November 7 to join the UN peacekeeping mission.

His younger brother, Roni Alam, said, "My brother has been martyred for the country. We are proud of his sacrifice, though the pain cannot be expressed in words."

The ISPR identified the five other deceased as Sainik Md Mominul Islam, Bir (Kurigram); Sainik Shamim Reza, Bir (Rajbari); Sainik Shanta Mondal, Bir (Kurigram); Mess Waiter Mohammad Jahangir Alam, 30, (Kishoreganj); and laundry employee Md Sabuj Mia (Gaibandha).

Scenes of mourning were also witnessed in Pakundia upazila of Kishoreganj, where the family of Jahangir Alam, 30, is struggling to cope with the loss.

Jahangir, a mess waiter in the Bangladesh Army, was the son of Hazrat Ali, a farmer from Tarakandi village in Jangalia union. He joined the army on October 14, 2014, hoping to change the fate of his impoverished family. He also left for Sudan on November 7 to join the peacekeeping mission.

Family members said that Hazrat Ali received the news of his son's death shortly after midnight on Saturday from Jahangir's elder brother, who lives in Saudi Arabia.

The next morning, an army officer confirmed the news over the phone.

Inside their small tin-roofed house, Jahangir's wife, Rubaiya Akhtar, fainted repeatedly as relatives tried to console her. Their three-year-old child looked on helplessly.

In Gaibandha's Palashbari upazila, the death of Md Sabuj Mia, 27, has cast a shadow over Chhoto Bhagabanpur village. Sabuj worked as a laundry employee in the Bangladesh Army. His mother, Sakina Begum, 65, broke down upon hearing the news as villagers gathered at their home.

His cousin Palash Mia said that Sabuj joined the army in 2010. He married in 2023 and was the sole earning member of the family, having lost his father in 2002.

He too went to Sudan on November 7 to join the peacekeeping mission.

"Our only demand is that Sabuj's body be brought back quickly and that the government stand by his family," Palash said. "There is no other earning member."

Sabuj's wife, Nupur Akhtar, said she last spoke to her husband around 3:00pm on the day of the attack. "He told me to be careful wherever I am," she said. "Today, he is the one who is gone."

Sainik Shamim Reza, 28, from Hogladangi village in Rajbari's Kalukhali upazila, was the eldest son of farmer Alam Fakir and Champa Khatun. He left for Sudan on November 7.

Reza's father, Alamgir Fakir, said he had raised his son through farming and ensured his education. "I last spoke to him on a video call on Friday," he said.

"I asked him why his eyes looked swollen, and he replied that he had been sleeping. Then he told me, 'Abba, stay well. I am going on duty.' Those were his last words. My son went on duty and never returned. We received the news of his death around midnight on Saturday."

Deceased Shanta, 26, and Mominul, 38, were from Kurigram. Shanta's father, Nur Islam Mondal, a former army member, has passed away, while his mother Sahera Begum, sat stunned at home on Sunday afternoon.

Shanta joined the Bangladesh Army in 2018 and was most recently posted at Bogura Cantonment. He left for Sudan on November 7.

His elder brother Sohel Mondal said Shanta had married a year ago, and his wife is five months pregnant.

"He spoke to us on a video call on Saturday evening. Later that night, we learned he had been killed in the attack. We are now waiting for his body," he said.

Mominul left behind his parents, wife, and two daughters. Family members said he left for Sudan 33 days ago and spoke to them for the last time on a video call on Saturday afternoon. "My son was a good man and was loved by everyone," his father said.

The ISPR statement reads that the attack has left eight other peacekeepers injured, who are receiving necessary medical treatment.

Earlier, in a statement on May 28, the ISPR said as of May, 5,818 Bangladeshi peacekeepers, including 444 women, are deployed in 10 UN missions and operations. Till May, a total of 168 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have laid down their lives in the line of duty, which now rose to 174, with the latest six.

Our correspondents in Bogura, Faridpur, Lalmonirhat, and Kishoreganj contributed to this report.​

 

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Bodies of 6 Bangladeshi peacekeepers arrive in Dhaka

The bodies of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were killed in a drone attack by separatist forces in Sudan arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday. A flight of Emirates Airline, carrying the bodies of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers landed at the Airport on Saturday...

en.prothomalo.com

Bodies of 6 Bangladeshi peacekeepers arrive in Dhaka
UNB Dhaka
Published: 20 Dec 2025, 19: 42

Corporal Md Masud Rana, Soldier Md Mominul Islam, Soldier Shamim Reza, Soldier Shanto Mondol, mess waiter Mohammad Jahangir Alam and laundry worker Md Sabuj Mia ISPR

The bodies of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were killed in a drone attack by separatist forces in Sudan arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday.

A flight of Emirates Airline, carrying the bodies of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers landed at the Airport on Saturday morning, according to a media release from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The Chief of General Staff of the Bangladesh Army, Lieutenant General Mizanur Rahman Shamim, received the bodies.

After a namaz-e-janaza at the Central Mosque of Dhaka Cantonment, the peacekeepers’ bodies will be sent to their respective villages by helicopter and they will be buried with full military honour.

Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and nine others were injured in a drone attack on the Kadugli logistics base under the UN mission in the Abeï area of Sudan on 13 December.

The injured personnel are receiving treatment at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

One of them has already been discharged, while the remaining peacekeepers are reported to be out of danger, the ISPR said.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh Army chief honoured by US state of Georgia for UN peacekeeping contributions

General Waker-Uz-Zaman receives special resolution from Georgia governor during state senate session

www.thedailystar.net

Bangladesh Army chief honoured by US state of Georgia for UN peacekeeping contributions

General Waker-Uz-Zaman receives special resolution from Georgia governor during state senate session

Star Online Report

Photo: Collected

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has been honoured by the US state of Georgia in recognition of Bangladesh’s significant role in United Nations peacekeeping missions, according to a release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The special resolution was formally handed over to the army chief on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, during a session of the Georgia State Senate by Governor Brian P Kemp.

The resolution was adopted with bipartisan support from both Republican and Democratic members, acknowledging the contributions of Bangladeshi peacekeepers serving worldwide.

Bangladeshi-origin Senator Sheikh Rahman played a key role in the adoption of the resolution.

Earlier that day, General Waker met Governor Kemp at his office to discuss military-related issues. Later, the Bangladesh delegation, led by the army chief, joined the senate session, where he also met Georgia Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones.

The ISPR noted that the army chief left for the United States on an official visit on March 28, 2026.​

 

[Saif]

Army chief returns home after US visit

Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman on Friday returned home after completing an official visit to the United States (US).

en.prothomalo.com

Army chief returns home after US visit

BSS
Dhaka
Published: 10 Apr 2026, 22: 26

Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman File photo

Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman on Friday returned home after completing an official visit to the United States (US).

During the visit, he took part in various programmes in the US state of Georgia and met with key dignitaries, an ISPR release said on Friday.

General Waker-Uz-Zaman was presented with a special resolution by the state of Georgia in recognition of the commendable role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping missions.

The meetings also discussed issues of mutual interest between Bangladesh and the United States.​

 

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UN chief to honour fallen peacekeepers, including 6 from Bangladesh, on June 5

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will honour six Bangladeshi peacekeepers among 68 in total posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at the UN Headquarters in New York on June 5. The Bangladeshi fallen peacekeepers are Md Jahangir Alam, Md Sobuj Mia, Md Masud Rana, Md Mominul

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

UN chief to honour fallen peacekeepers, including 6 from Bangladesh, on June 5

FE ONLINE DESK

Published :
May 30, 2026 15:30
Updated :
May 30, 2026 15:32

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will honour six Bangladeshi peacekeepers among 68 in total posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at the UN Headquarters in New York on June 5.

The Bangladeshi fallen peacekeepers are Md Jahangir Alam, Md Sobuj Mia, Md Masud Rana, Md Mominul Islam, Shamim Reza and Santo Mondol.

They were all killed in a drone strike on 13 December 2025 while serving in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Bangladesh is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, an official told UNB.

It currently deploys more than 4,000 military and police personnel, including 277 women, to the UN operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was observed around the world on Friday to pay tribute to all women and men serving in UN peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

The UN Headquarters will, however, observe the day on June 5.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath to honour the nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and preside over a ceremony at which the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 68 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, including 59 who perished last year.

Today, more than 50,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers serve under the UN flag in some of the world’s most complex environments, where conflicts are increasingly fragmented, protracted, and shaped by emerging threats, including the misuse of digital tools and the spread of harmful information.

A total of 118 countries currently contribute uniformed personnel to 11 peacekeeping missions.

The General Assembly established the day back in 2002 and selected May 29 as it was the day in 1948 when the Security Council established the first UN Peacekeeping operation, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East.

This year’s theme for the Day is “Invest in Peace.”

At a time when UN Peacekeeping operations face reduced resources, the theme underscores that peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools the international community has to respond to conflict, supporting political solutions, preventing escalation, protecting civilians, monitoring ceasefires, enabling humanitarian assistance, clearing landmines, and more.

In his message, António Guterres said: “On this International Day, we honour peacekeepers past and present and reaffirm our shared responsibility to respect and strengthen their work."

"We pay tribute to nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948, including 59 last year. No one should die serving the cause of peace. Attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law, and Member States must uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times,” he said.

The Secretary-General also said “in an era of rising tensions”, peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective way to restore stability and hope. “But it requires steady political backing – and reliable financial support.”

During a special ceremony, the Secretary-General will also award the “Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage” to Corporal Matias Reyes of Uruguay for his actions in Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo during the height of the crisis in early 2025, and to the late Sergii Prykodko of Ukraine who served as a private contractor in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and was killed during a mission to extract besieged soldiers in March last year.

The Secretary-General will also present awards to the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year, Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who serves in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and to the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year, Stephanie Königs of Germany, who served in UNMISS.

“At a time of rising conflict and shrinking resources, United Nations peacekeepers continue to protect civilians, prevent violence from escalating, and keep hope alive in some of the world’s most difficult environments. Investing in peacekeeping means investing in stability, prevention and the possibility of peace itself,” said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.​