6 Bangladeshi peacekeepers to receive UN medals posthumously

Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag in Abyei will be posthumously honoured with the prestigious “Dag Hammarskjöld Medal” at the United Nations Headquarters on 5 June.

The medals will be awarded by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a ceremony marking the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, which will be observed at the UN Headquarters in New York on 5 June, according to a UN press release.

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

The secretary-general will lay a wreath in honour of nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948 and will present the “Dag Hammarskjöld Medal” 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 fourth-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, 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 are currently serving in some of the world's most complex and challenging environments. A total of 118 countries contribute personnel to 11 UN peacekeeping missions.

The UN General Assembly established the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in 2002, selecting 29 May to commemorate the establishment of the first UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, in 1948.

This year's theme, “Invest in Peace”, highlights the importance of sustained political and financial support for peacekeeping operations at a time of growing global conflicts and shrinking resources.

In his message marking the day, Secretary-General 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 keep hope alive 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.

During the observance, the secretary-general will also present 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.