NEW YORK, 11 February, 2021 (TON): General Aziz Ahmed, Bangladesh Army Chief has held several meetings with the senior UN officials during a state visit to the UN this week.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, he reiterated Bangladesh's 'unwavering commitment' and 'continued support' for UN peacekeeping operations.

According to the ISPR, Gen Aziz had a meeting with Atul Khare, the UN under-secretary-general for Operational Support, on Feb 8. During the meeting, he thanked the UN for listing Bangladesh Biman as peacekeeping transport.

Khare thanked the government of Bangladesh over the successful role of Bangladesh Biman in the UN peacekeeping mission amid the pandemic and also praised and commended Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her leading role in human rights issues, including peacekeeping, climate change, and women's empowerment.

Talks on increasing Bangladesh's manpower in various UN missions, expediting the payment of compensation to peacekeepers who were injured or dead, clearing the unpaid reimbursement to the Bangladesh Army, and the arrangements for vaccinating Bangladeshi peacekeepers, among other issues.

The activities of other Bangladeshi forces in UN missions were also discussed, the ISPR said.

On 9 February, 2021, the army chief also had a meeting with Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix

Lacroix praised the professionalism, discipline, dedication, and courage of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers engaged in UN peacekeeping operations during the meeting, according to the ISPR statement.

The chief of army staff left for the US on Jan 29 at the invitation of his US Army counterpart. He will wrap up the visit and return home on 12 February, 2021.