Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Sunday urged the United Nations to hire more women peacekeepers from Bangladesh, reaffirming the country’s unwavering commitment to international peacekeeping and security efforts.
Yunus made the call when UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix met him at his official Jamuna residence.
“One thing that I encourage is the participation of more Bangladeshi women in peacekeeping missions,” he said during the meeting, where issues regarding UN peacekeeping were discussed at length, according to a press release issued by the CA’s press wing.
Bangladesh consistently ranks among the top three troop/police-contributing countries (TPCCs), with 5,677 peacekeepers across 10 of the 11 active missions.
The UN Under-Secretary-General highlighted the UN’s policy of engaging more women in peacekeeping.
“We don’t want to confine women to specific roles,” he said, adding that the UN would support the recruitment of women in all aspects of peacekeeping.
The chief adviser expressed Bangladesh’s readiness to deploy additional troops and police when required, underscoring the country’s pledge of five units at the Rapid Deployment Level in the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System (PCRS).
Yunus also advocated for increased Bangladeshi representation in UN peacekeeping leadership at both headquarters and field levels. The UN official said they would support Bangladesh in this regard.
The chief adviser affirmed that Bangladesh strictly complies with UN vetting procedures for peacekeepers and welcomed further collaboration with the UN and other bodies on training and accountability to strengthen human rights compliance.
He was informed that a Bangladeshi delegation led by the Foreign Adviser would join the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference to be held in Berlin, Germany, from 13 to 14 May 2025.
The chief adviser also expressed concern over the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, cross-border firing incidents, civilian casualties, and livelihood disruptions near the Naf River, which acts as a border between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
He warned that continued instability could escalate, creating broader security risks. He urged concerted international engagement to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
He recalled the recent visit of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the Rohingya camps in southeast Bangladesh, saying that his visit gave the Rohingyas renewed hope for a safe and dignified repatriation to Myanmar.