The United Nations (UN) has honoured 12 fallen peacekeepers from Bangladesh who lost their lives on duty in 2018 in various parts of the world to ensure global peace under the aegis of the UN peace operations, reports UNB.

The UN awarded ‘Dag Hammarskjold Medal' to 119 fallen peacekeepers from 27 member states to honour their supreme sacrifice, among those fallen heroes, 12 were from Bangladesh.

The medals were awarded by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and received by the respective Permanent Representatives of the 27 countries at the event held in New York on Friday (May 24) marking the ‘International Day of the UN Peacekeepers’.

Speaking of “the true cost of peacekeeping”, the UN chief called for a moment of silence for those who “paid the ultimate price” to protect others and “to give war-torn countries a chance for peace and hope”.

Permanent Representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Masud Bin Momen received the medals on behalf of Bangladesh.

Defense Advisor of this Mission Brigadier-General Khan Firoz Ahmed, relevant other officers from the Mission and officers from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Police working at the UN Headquarters were also present.

The Permanent Mission will make special arrangements to send the medals to the family members of the 12 fallen peacekeepers of Bangladesh, said a media release on Saturday.

The fallen peacekeepers of Bangladesh who posthumously received the 'Dag Hammarskjold Medals' are: Sainik Arzan Howlader, Sainik Md Ripul Miah, Sainik Mohammad Jamal Uddin, Warrant officer Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, Sainik Mohammad Rayhan Ali, Lance Corporal Mohammad Akter Hossain, Sainik Mohammad Rasheduzzaman, Sainik Md Zane Alam, Sainik Md Motiar Rahman, Sainik Md Monjur Ali, Lance Corporal Md Mizanur Rahaman and Lieutenant Commander Md Ashraf Siddiqui.

Bangladesh is the second largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping.

It currently deploys more than 6,600 military and police personnel in nine peacekeeping missions in Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Mali, Sudan, South Sudan and Western Sahara.

So far, 146 peacekeepers from Bangladesh have lost their lives on duty while serving UN Peace Operations in various parts of the world.