PM wants more help from UN

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday sought UN recognition and its support for the development of Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation and Training (BIPSOT) to enhance its capacity.

She sought the support when the visiting UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy called on her at the Prime Minister's Office here.

During the meeting, they discussed wide range of issues involving the UN peacekeeping operations to establish peace in different countries across the world, said Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad after the meeting.

Speaking on the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session held in New York last month, Roy highly appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's speech in the UNGA and her meetings with US President Barrack Obama on the sidelines of the session.

Sheikh Hasina while focusing on contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the UN peacekeeping missions, also urged the United Nations to provide free tickets to the peacekeepers specially soldiers after each six month so that they could meet their family members living in the country.

The prime minister told the UN Under Secretary General that in her speech to the UNGA, she requested the UN to appoint more Bangladeshi peacekeepers in the policy making levels of UN Peacekeeping Operations and different field level commanding posts.

She said the Bangladeshi peacekeepers are very efficient, disciplined, obedient and labourious and requested the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions to recruit more female police forces in its peacekeeping operations.

Referring to Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord signed by the past Awami League government, she said peace has been restored in the CHT region following signing of the peace treaty.

"We have solved the problems politically and motivated them to return to normal life," she said adding that after the government efforts they returned to peaceful life.

Mentioning her participation in the UNGA session in New York, the prime minister said she also highlighted climate change issues in the world meet and called for concerted efforts to face the challenges caused by global warming.

In this context, she said like Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan are also being affected by the climate change as ice is melting alarmingly while sea level is rising.

Adviser to the Prime Minister Maj Gen (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Principal Staff Officer Maj Gen Wadud, Ambassador M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister MA Karim, Prime Minister's Office Secretary Mollah Waheedduzzaman and Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad were present on the occasion.