Experts have termed it propaganda by vested groups that the Bangladeshi peacekeepers in Mali will have to return due to US sanctions, and upcoming elections issues.
The UN Security Council made a unanimous decision on June 29 to withdraw the mission at the explicit request of the Malian military government. The decision involves all 13,000 MINUSMA peacekeepers from different countries.
But certain groups are linking it to pressure placed on Bangladesh due to US sanctions, and upcoming elections issues.
"We must stop such propaganda," Dr Lailufar Yasmin, Professor and Chairperson of the Department of International Relations of the University of Dhaka, told the Dhaka Tribune on Thursday.
"It's a clear fact that we all know. Nothing to do with Bangladesh. It's the UN Security Council's unanimous decision [resolution UNSC S/2023/480 dated June 29]. This is just propaganda."
Prof Yasmin said: "We must be proud of our armed forces. Because of UN peacekeeping, our image has been brightened globally. They are doing fantastic jobs, and it's globally recognised. We need to learn to recognise that. We need to own our own institutions.
"Such propaganda is coming from a narrow political space."
Bangladesh is the top troop-contributing country in the world for UN Peacekeeping missions.
Currently, a total of 7,436 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are deployed on UN missions or assignments in 14 countries. Out of them, approximately, 6,043 are from the Bangladesh Army, 359 from the Navy, 522 from the Air Force, and 512 from the police.
On June 29, the Security Council unanimously approved the complete withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces in Mali, although it will take six months for the final "blue helmets" to depart.
By the terms of the adopted resolution, the MINUSMA will completely withdraw from Mali by January 1, 2024.
Established by the Council in 2013 following a coup the previous year, the mission's presence, as of February 2023, stood at more than 15,000 personnel, according to MINUSMA.
Media reports have depicted a grim security landscape. Over the past decade, Mali and the Sahel region have seen a surge in clashes and attacks by armed groups and terrorist affiliates, with 303 peacekeepers killed.
Conditions have also worsened due to climate shocks, and rising intercommunal tensions over scarce resources, which have become the main drivers of continued violence, mass displacement, instability, and cross-border trafficking.
Dhaka Tribune talked with Brig Gen Husain Muhammad Masihur Rahman, director general of the operations and plan directorate of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, to understand the situation.
Presently, 1,706 peacekeepers are deployed in MINUSMA, Mali. Of them, 1,304 are from the Army, four from the Navy, 116 from the Air Force, and 282 from the police. They are operating in seven contingents, with the manpower of each contingent varying from 675 to 110 depending on the requirements.
"It's not us; all peacekeepers have to return to their home countries by December 31. Presently, around 13,000 peacekeepers from various countries, including Bangladesh, are operating in Mali," he said.
Asked which country or troops will return from MINUSMA first, Brig Gen Rahman said: "The UN Headquarters in New York, in coordination with MINUSMA FHQ, is working on the return schedule of the contingent. The Armed Forces Division has yet to receive any final/proposed withdrawal plan or rotation updates from UNHQ. However, it is perceived that the withdrawal or rotation would be conducted depending on the circumstances and the requirements set by MINUSMA FHQ as well as existing rotation plans."
On the rotation plans for Bangladesh contingents, he said: "The rotation plans are yet to be finalized. However, as per existing rotation plans and information received from the service HQs concerned, among the seven deployed contingents, three are due to be rotated in August 2023, one in November 2023, and the other three in February 2024. But due to the recent decision, the returning schedule may vary," he said.
Bangladesh started her journey in UN peacekeeping operations with the deployment of only 15 peacekeepers from the Bangladesh Army in the Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG) in 1988.
Till now, 188,558 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have participated in 63 UN missions or assignments in 40 countries or locations. At least 167 of them died while discharging their duties in such conflict zones, and 259 peacekeepers were injured or maimed.
Bangladesh contingents are operating in MONUSCO, UNMISS, MINUSMA, UNISFA, MINURSO, MINUSCA, and UNIFIL. Furthermore, they are also assigned different tasks in Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, Cyprus, the Netherlands, the USA (UN headquarters), and Yemen.