DHAKA, May 31 (V7N) – Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the United Nations flag in Abyei will be posthumously honoured with the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at the UN Headquarters in New York on June 5.
According to a UN press release, António Guterres will present the medals during a ceremony marking the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
The six Bangladeshi peacekeepers are Md Jahangir Alam, Md Sobuj Mia, Md Masud Rana, Md Mominul Islam, Shamim Reza and Santo Mondol.
They were killed in a drone strike on December 13, 2025 while serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
During the ceremony, the UN Secretary-General will also lay a wreath in memory of nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have died in service since 1948.
The Dag Hammarskjöld Medal will be awarded posthumously to 68 military, police and civilian peacekeepers from different countries who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, including 59 who died last year.
Bangladesh is currently the world’s fourth-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping missions, with more than 4,000 military and police personnel, including 277 women, deployed in missions in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
According to the United Nations, more than 50,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers from 118 countries are currently serving in 11 peacekeeping missions worldwide.
The United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in 2002 to commemorate the creation of the first UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, in 1948.
This year’s theme, “Invest in Peace,” highlights the need for continued political and financial support for peacekeeping operations amid rising global conflicts and shrinking resources.
In a message marking the occasion, Guterres paid tribute to peacekeepers past and present and called for greater efforts to ensure their safety and security.
“Peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective way to restore stability and hope, but it requires steady political backing and reliable financial support,” he said.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said peacekeepers continue to protect civilians, prevent violence and sustain hope in some of the world’s most difficult environments.
“Investing in peacekeeping means investing in stability, prevention and the possibility of peace itself,” he added.
The ceremony will also feature presentation of the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year Award to outstanding peacekeeping personnel.
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