United Nations Under-Secretaries General Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Catherine Pollard jointly paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday (June 25, 2023). In the meeting, they discussed different issues including the UN peacekeeping operations, climate change and women security, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters. The UN officials said the world body has successfully completed 75 years of its peacekeeping operation. Read: Discrimination, sexual abuse have no place in Peacekeeping Missions, Dhaka says They highly praised the Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their contribution to maintain peace. In this regard, the prime minister told the UN officials that Bangladesh has been contributing to the UN peacekeeping missions for three decades with dedication and professionalism. She said Bangladesh is the largest troops contributing country for the UN peacekeeping missions. "Some 7,500 Bangladeshi males and females are employed in nine UN peacekeeping missions around the globe," the press secretary quoted her as saying. Catherine Pollard thanked the prime minister for Bangladesh's contribution to the trust fund to check sexual exploitation and abuse. In reply, Hasina said Bangladesh is deeply committed to women security and increasing women's participation in UN peacekeeping. Read: UN USG for Peace Operations Lacroix to attend 1st peacekeeping ministerial preparatory meeting in Dhaka She reiterated her government's zero tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse. She said Bangladesh has taken serious punitive measures against the individuals who were found guilty through investigation in this regard. Talking about climate change, the PM said Bangladesh is a vulnerable country and her government is implementing mitigation and adaptation programmes with its own funds. Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the United Nations Muhammad Abdul Muhith were present at the meeting. Read more: Evolution of UN Peacekeeping into 4th generation will create new challenges for third world countries including Bangladesh: BIPSS president

Two senior officials of  UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, arrived here on Sunday on a four-day visit to see Rohingya situation both in Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps and Bhasan Char.  The UN officials are Gillian Triggs, the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, a crucial role for overseeing UNHCR’s responses to refugee situations worldwide. They will hold meetings with the officials in Dhaka and are planning to visit Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char, a senior official told UNB, adding that the programmes are yet to be finalised. Read:Global initiative launched to build sport Club Centres in Rohingya camps; beyond They are likely to go to Bhasan Char first, most probably on Monday, said the official.  Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar district and Bhasan Char and Bangladesh is expecting UN agencies engagement in Bhasan Char within next couple of months to provide humanitarian services there.  The government has a plan to shift 100000 Rohingyas in Bhasan Char gradually while around 20,000 are already shifted there.  Bhasan Char, a temporary shelter for Rohingyas until repatriation, remained unhurt with no casualty to personnel and livestock though cyclone Yaas caused damage to some extent in coastal areas.  Preparation to face challenges of Cyclone Yaas has become a proven guideline for facing future cyclones, says a senior official of the government adding that it brought confidence  amongst all at Bhasan Char.  The Bhasan Char island also remained unaffected during cyclone Amphan though it caused damages in coastal districts of the country, he said. During his recent visit, United Nations General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir highly appreciated Bangladesh's efforts for Rohingyas in Bhashan Char, saying it will be another example to the world on how to deal with the refugee issues. “I really applaud the work done there – the quality of buildings and also taking all the precautions. I think this will be another example to the world on how to deal with refugee issues,” he said. Bozkir hoped that this would work well for the Rohingya people, giving them a better condition in Bhashan Char. Read: General Assembly has not forgotten Rohingya people: Bozkir The UNGA President said he could not visit Bhasan Char but he saw a video on it and acknowledged the high-level of works there, including precautions and safety measures. Bozkir appreciated Bangladesh’s role in the peacekeeping operations and sacrifices of the Bangladeshi peacekeepers for the peace and security of the world. The UNGA President said he has admiration for Prime Minister Hasina for her political and humanitarian thinking and saluted the hospitality and courage that Bangladesh has shown to the Rohingya people.  

The global hunger crisis caused by conflict and compounded by COVID-19 pandemic is moving into a dangerous phase, the head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said.