Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has received the ‘Dag Hammarskjold Medal’ awarded posthumously to two Bangladeshi fallen peacekeepers.  Fallen peacekeepers Major A K M Mahmudul Hasan was serving in MINUSCA and Lance Corporal Md. Rabiul Mollah was serving in UNMISS. Also read: UN Peacekeeping: 12 global HR bodies seek ban on RAB Ambassador Fatima re also signed the condolence book kept in the UNHQs.  Bangladesh is currently the top contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations and around 6802 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are deployed in 9 peacekeeping missions at present.  So far, 161 peacekeepers from Bangladesh have lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping operations.

Bangladesh has expressed “deep disappointment” over the new resolution on Myanmar at the United Nations General Assembly as ‘it has failed to recommend actions” on repatriation of the Rohingyas and adequately reflect on the crisis. “The resolution that was adopted falls far short of our expectations,” said Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima after adoption of the resolution on the ‘Situation in Myanmar’ at the 75th session of the UNGA. In an explanation of vote by Bangladesh, she said the resolution failed to recognize in its operative part, the urgent need for creating conditions for the safe, voluntary and sustainable return of the displaced minorities of Myanmar, particularly the Rohingyas.

President of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir has acknowledged Bangladesh’s distinct role in the proclamation of International Mother Language Day by the UN and also lauded Bangladesh for its leadership in promoting the importance of mother language and multilingualism globally.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has called for greater international efforts to ensure safety and security of the peacekeepers, including by embedding emergency preparedness in the mandate setting.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima reiterated Bangladesh’s deep commitment to the peacebuilding and sustaining peace efforts of the UN.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ambassador Rabab Fatima has urged Bangladesh's trading partners to practice responsible business conduct during this crisis of COVID-19.   "It is no time for economic or trade protectionism. LDCs should be given their previously committed market access,” she said.   The Ambassador highlighted the challenges of the disrupted global supply chain and its devastating impacts on export in countries like Bangladesh where factory workers are losing jobs in large scale.    She was addressing a virtual meeting on “SDG Financing in the era of COVID 19 and beyond” in New York on Wednesday.   Mentioning the pandemic as a global health as well as an economic and social crisis, the PR told participants that the consequences would be borne by the peoples and economies of the vulnerable countries for years to come and the SDG implementation plans in many of countries are on hold as they are diverting their limited resources to meet emergency health needs as well as to expand social protection system.   Referring to the fall in remittances and the challenge of managing the return of migrant workers for countries like Bangladesh, the PR stated that migrants face health, socio-economic and protection crisis.     She called upon the migrant destination countries to ensure the rights of migrants and to keep them in their respective response and recovery plans.   The PR informed the meeting that the Bangladesh Government has announced a 12.1 billion dollar stimulus package, which is 3.7% of its GDP, for various sectors of its economy as well as support measures for different groups.    She underscored the need for a stronger global solidarity and cooperation to overcome this unprecedented crisis and said that “equitable access to finance will also be a vital step to ensure resilient and sustainable recovery from COVID 19. Private creditors as well as the idle private capital should be incentivized for investment in the vulnerable developing countries.”   The PR also called for more vigorous efforts to finance climate actions, which will support the vulnerable countries in building better resilience against any future disaster.