Bangladeshi female peacekeepers are brightening the country’s image abroad like their male counterparts as they are performing their responsibilities with utmost sincerity, dutifulness and professional attitudes to maintain peace in different trouble-torn regions of the world in line with the country’s commitment to women empowerment.
Bangladesh is the second largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, as currently more than 6,543 military and police personnel are deployed to the UN peacekeeping missions globally.
According to sources, a total of 1803 Bangladeshi female peacekeepers have so far served in different UN Peacekeeping Missions, while the number of Bangladeshi women peacekeepers currently working are 256.
Bangladesh’s role in the UN peacekeeping was highly appreciated on different occasions by the world leaders and the United Nations (UN) top officials including the secretaries general.
This year the International Day of UN Peacekeepers is being observed in the country like other countries tomorrow in a befitting manner.
The theme of this year’s day is – “Women in Peacekeeping – highlights their central role in our operations”.
On the eve of the day, two female Bangladeshi peacekeepers, who are now engaged in peace operations in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), talked to this correspondent virtually and shared their experiences in performing their duties there.
The two – Bangladesh Army Major Jesmin Akter and Bangladesh Air Force Squadron Leader Shohana Chowdhury – said that the security and social safety status is very comfortable in the UN peacekeeping mission and it is preserved consciously with a very high priority by all segments of the mission.
Jasmin Akter, who is now in Central African Republic (CAR), described her duty in the UN peacekeeping mission as “challenging” like her classic military job.
“However, there are few challenges to perform responsibilities like impediments of different culture and language as well as adopting with hostilities and new nature of assignments,” she said.
In addition, she said, as a female officer staying away from family and children is another challenge.
While Shohana Chowdhury said that there is no barrier to discharging duties as a female officer in MINUSCA.
“The environment is very friendly to any gender. Currently
