State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has said Bangladesh views United Nations peacekeeping not only as an obligation but as a responsibility to humanity under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
She made the remarks while addressing the Second Ministerial Conference on Peacekeeping in a Francophone Environment in Rabat on Wednesday, according to a foreign ministry press release issued in Dhaka on Thursday.
The state minister called for greater emphasis on the Women, Peace and Security agenda to strengthen peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts. Referring to emerging challenges in modern peace operations, she highlighted the risks posed by misinformation, digital harassment and the unethical use of technology in conflict zones.
She also urged stronger and forward-looking reforms in UN peacekeeping operations. These included clearer and more realistic mandates, adequate resources, deeper consultation with troop and police-contributing countries, and stronger measures to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers.
Shama Obaed Islam stressed the importance of robust pre-deployment training through institutions such as the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training. She also reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to environmentally sustainable peacekeeping practices.
Reaffirming Bangladesh’s support for multilateralism, she highlighted the country’s position as one of the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping missions worldwide. Paying tribute to the 174 Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed while serving in global missions, she also noted Bangladesh’s growing contribution of women peacekeepers to UN operations.
The minister said Bangladesh’s peace-oriented foreign policy, shaped by former president Ziaur Rahman and strengthened under former prime minister Khaleda Zia, continued to guide the country’s commitment to global peace and stability.
She also highlighted Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts in social protection, education reform and women’s empowerment.
The conference was jointly organised by the governments of Morocco and France, where the forum was first launched in 2016. Bangladesh Ambassador to Morocco Sadia Faizunnesa was also present.
Later in the evening, Shama Obaed Islam attended the Global Growth Conference 2026 as a keynote speaker in a session titled “Geopolitics of Fragmentation: Power, Escalation and Strategic Reordering."
During the session, she shared Bangladesh’s perspective on changing global geopolitics, shifting power balances and the strategic consequences of increasing international fragmentation.
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