On June 25, 2023, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix arrived in Bangladesh and heartily praised the performance of Bangladeshi peacekeepers during his meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Just two weeks ago, the New York-based INGO Human Rights Watch had called upon the UN in general and Under-Secretary-General Lacroix in particular to enhance the screening of Bangladeshi peacekeepers, which would essentially restrict the deployment of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in UN peace operations. However, in this context, more than three decades of professional and dutiful service of Bangladesh peacekeepers to the UN and the international community must not be forgotten.
According to Article 25 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, the country is committed to the promotion of international peace, security and solidarity in accordance with the principles enunciated in the UN Charter. So, Bangladesh is legally and morally duty-bound to assist the UN in its endeavours to establish and maintain peace and security across the world. Through its active participation in the UN Iran–Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG) in 1988–1991, Bangladesh started taking part in UN peace operations. Since then, 188,558 Bangladeshi peacekeepers, including 2,728 female peacekeepers, have served in 63 UN operations in 40 different states across five continents. Currently, 7,436 Bangladeshi peacekeepers, including 572 female peacekeepers, are deployed in UN operations in 13 states. At present, Bangladesh is the topmost contributor of personnel to UN operations. So far, 167 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have sacrificed their lives while fulfilling their international duties.
Described by the international media as the ‘cream of UN peacekeepers,’ Bangladeshi peacekeepers have consistently demonstrated their professionalism, courage and determination during complex and dangerous UN operations, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Lebanon, Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR). Bangladeshi peacekeepers have played prominent roles in establishing peace and security in several Asian and African states, and performed their duties to the international community with efficiency and dignity.
As a result, top UN officials, as well as several host governments and military experts, have highly commended the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in protecting international peace and security, fostering democracy, fulfilling the humanitarian needs of vulnerable people, and promoting human rights in host countries. Bangladeshi peacekeepers have received large numbers of decorations for their service. Owing to the contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in establishing peace and security in Sierra Leone after the Sierra Leonean Civil War (1991–2002), the government of that country declared Bengali to be an honorary language as a sign of respect and several schools were named ‘Sierra Leone-Bangladesh Friendship School.’ Similarly, in recognition of the role played by Bangladeshi peacekeepers in ensuring peace in Côte d’Ivoire, a street in the Ivorian city of Danané was named the ‘Bangladesh Road.’ These signify that Bangladeshi peacekeepers have made significant contributions to the UN’s efforts of upholding peace and security across the world and have proved themselves to be one of the most effective peacekeeping contingents under UN auspices.
It should be noted that while the states of the Global North provide around 84% of the funds required for UN peace operations, Bangladesh and some other states of the Global South provide the majority of troops who have to maintain peace and provide security on the ground. Northern states, and many Southern states as well, are often unwilling to send peacekeepers to UN operations, whereas Bangladesh and a few other Southern states have been ardent participants in UN operations. While most states prefer the safe path of non-involvement, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have been dutifully serving the UN for more than three decades, often risking their lives and health. In addition to fulfilling their constitutional and international duties, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have improved the image of their country across the world, enhanced its politico-diplomatic position and helped its finances by serving in UN operations.
Bangladeshi peacekeepers have received acclaim and acceptability owing to a number of factors, including their professionalism, humanism and lack of any hegemonic agenda. These attributes have differentiated Bangladeshi peacekeepers from the peacekeepers of many other states.
In fact, participation in UN operations has a transformative and stabilizing effect on the Bangladesh Armed Forces. In the immediate years after independence, Bangladesh witnessed numerous military coups d’état and revolts. However, extensive participation in UN operations has contributed to their professionalization, redirecting their energies towards a better and greater cause, that is, the protection of international peace and security. After the beginning of Bangladeshi participation in UN operations, military intervention in Bangladeshi politics has sharply declined, helping the process of democratization. Moreover, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have assisted in the processes of democratization in numerous countries, including Namibia, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Thus, growing participation in UN operations has contributed to the de-politicization and professionalization of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. In contrast, some other states have been taking part in UN operations for a long time, yet their armed forces remain engrossed in unprofessional and non-democratic activities. For instance, Pakistan has been a key troop-contributing country for UN operations since 1960, yet the Pakistan Armed Forces continue to be the ‘kingmaker’ in Pakistani politics and so far four military dictators have ruled the country. Egypt is another key contributor of personnel for UN operations, and the country is still under a military-controlled government. Similarly, Chad is an important troop-contributing country for UN operations, and the country is currently ruled by a military regime. So, the Bangladesh Armed Forces are comparatively far more depoliticized and professionally-oriented among the states which provide personnel for UN peace operations.
Moreover, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have often successfully implemented ‘hearts and minds’ campaigns in their places of deployment. These campaigns include developing good rapport with the local population, providing them with humanitarian assistance and medical aid, initiating small-scale development programs for them, and protecting them from predatory groups. As a result, Bangladeshi peacekeepers became popular among the local population in numerous host countries, including Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and the DRC. Also, there have been very few allegations of misconduct and human rights violations against Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers. In contrast, peacekeepers from several countries, including France, Pakistan, Morocco, Benin, Burundi and Gabon, have been accused of committing various crimes in host countries, such as sexual assault and smuggling.
Furthermore, a number of states, especially great and regional powers, have been accused of using UN operations as a tool of exerting neo-colonial and imperial domination over host countries. For instance, the Malian government has accused French and Ivorian UN peacekeepers of trying to topple the country’s government. Chad has been accused of using its UN peacekeeping contingent in the CAR to influence that country’s internal politics. On the other hand, Bangladesh does not have any colonial past with regard to any country, and Bangladeshi peacekeepers have never been accused of pursuing any imperialist or hegemonic agenda.
On a final note, most of the armed forces that contribute troops to UN operations, including Pakistani, Indonesian, Egyptian, Chadian and Ethiopian armed forces, have been accused of serious human rights violations in their home countries. In contrast, the human rights record of the Bangladesh Armed Forces is comparatively clean. So, singling out Bangladeshi peacekeepers for screening is not only an affront to the devoted service of Bangladeshi peacekeepers but also an unfair step directed towards Bangladesh.
So far, Bangladeshi peacekeepers have served the UN professionally, dutifully and honourably. They have consistently risked their lives in order to fulfil their constitutional and international duties of protecting international peace and security. Their participation in UN peace operations have contributed to the process of democratization in both their places of deployment and in their home countries. Therefore, their contributions to world peace must be recognized and honoured.
[Photo by Bangladesh Air Force, via Wikimedia Commons]
*Md. Himel Rahman is a post-graduate student of Security Studies at the Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and a freelance analyst on international and strategic affairs. His articles have been published in the South Asian Voices, The Geopolitics, the Foreign Affairs Insights & Review, the Daily Star, the Dhaka Tribune and other platforms. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
