Salahuddin seeks UN peacekeeping deployment support

During a meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Monday in New York, the minister reaffirmed Bangladesh's longstanding commitment to UN peacekeeping and requested support for the early verification of Rapid Deployment Level (RDL) status for Bangladeshi Formed Police Units (FPUs).

He also sought greater deployment of Bangladeshi individual police officers, consideration of deploying a Bangladesh FPU in current or future UN peacekeeping missions, and increased leadership and professional positions for Bangladeshi officers at the UN Headquarters and in field missions.

Lacroix highly appreciated Bangladesh's sustained contribution to UN peacekeeping operations and its readiness to provide well-trained and capable police personnel to meet the evolving requirements of peacekeeping missions.

He also commended Bangladesh's active and constructive role in multilateral diplomacy.

In a separate meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare, the home minister discussed operational and logistical support for Bangladesh's planned specialised police deployments to Haiti.

The discussions covered contingent-owned equipment, shipment arrangements and reimbursement-related issues associated with the deployment.

Khare praised Bangladesh's significant contributions to UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations and assured the minister of continued operational support for Bangladeshi peacekeepers, according to a press release received here today, reports BSS.