Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangladeshi peacekeepers have enhanced the country's image internationally through dedicated and efficient services in the UN peacekeeping missions.
He identified the participation of Bangladeshi peacekeepers as an opportunity to project the image of the country abroad.
The foreign minister visited Bangladesh peacekeeping contingents in South Sudan Thursday.
He visited the Bangladesh Engineering Construction Unit and Bangladesh Marine Forces Unit deployed in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in Juba.
During his interaction with the peacekeepers, Dr Momen mentioned the role of the government in enhancing the participation of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the UN missions.
The minister said the government also sent Formed police units (FPUs) to different UN missions who have earned a lot of reputation with their performance.
"Bangladesh is now the top troop-contributing country to the UN peacekeeping operations owing to the efficiency, acumen and professionalism of our peacekeepers," he said.
Also, Dr Momen said the government has facilitated the deployment of female peacekeepers in the UN peacekeeping operations.
A monument can be built in the Dhaka Cantonment to pay tribute to the sacrifices of Bangladeshi peacekeepers, he suggested.
During the visit to the UNMISS, he received a gun salute from a contingent of Bangladeshi peacekeepers and signed the visitors' book.
The Bangladesh contingent in the UNMISS comprises a good number of female peacekeepers along with male ones.
Later, the foreign minister interacted with the acting special representatives of the UN secretary-general of the UNMISS, the forces commander of the UNMISS, the mission chief and the deputy forces commander of the UNMISS.
During this time, the officials apprised the foreign minister about the activities of the UNMISS and highly praised the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the UNMISS.
Dr Momen is now visiting South Sudan to meet Bangladeshi peacekeepers deployed in different contingents in the UNMISS and also meeting with the high political leadership of South Sudan.
The delegation of the foreign minister comprises non-resident Bangladesh ambassador to South Sudan, officials from the Armed Forces Division and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
