Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers to be honoured posthumously with UN medals

Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the United Nations flag in Abyei will be posthumously awarded the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at a ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 5 June.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres will present the medals during an event marking the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, according to a UN press release.

The six fallen 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 13 December 2025 while serving with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

During the ceremony, Guterres 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 various countries who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, including 59 who died in 2025.

Bangladesh currently ranks as the fourth-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping missions, with more than 4,000 military and police members, including 277 women, deployed in operations 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, over 50,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers are serving in some of the world's most challenging conflict zones. Personnel from 118 countries are currently deployed across 11 UN peacekeeping missions.

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002 and is observed annually on 29 May 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,” underscores the need for sustained political commitment and financial support for peacekeeping operations amid rising global conflicts and tightening resources.

In his message marking the occasion, Guterres paid tribute to peacekeepers past and present, stressing that peacekeeping remains a proven and cost-effective means of restoring stability and hope, while calling for stronger efforts to ensure the safety and security of personnel in the field.

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 said.

The observance will also feature the 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 in recognition of outstanding service by peacekeeping personnel.