Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the Bangladesh Armed Forces to uphold their reputation in the UN peacekeeping missions.
The prime minister made the statement while addressing the graduation ceremony of Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) Course 2015-16 the Cantonment on Thursday morning.
She also warned that her government will not allow any "deviation" in this regard.
"We are still a leading peacekeeper contributor of the UN peacekeeping missions ... we won't tolerate any kind of indulgence from our peacekeepers that taints the goodwill of our armed forces," she said.
"We want that the reputation of our armed forces be retained ... we want who wherever are working would perform their responsibilities by maintaining dignity. We don't want that the name and fame of the armed forces be 'questionable'," she added.
DSCSC Commandant Major General Sajjadul Haque delivered the welcome address at the function.
Ministers, the leader of the opposition, the chiefs of the three services, parliament members, diplomats and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.
Describing the armed forces as a "symbol" of the country's independence and sovereignty, the premier also asked the members of the armed forces to be "constantly ready" for making any sacrifice for safeguarding independence and sovereignty.
"You will have to always keep prepare yourselves to face any kind of challenge and give leadership .... you will have to finish your work with self confidence and to be always ready for making any sacrifice for protecting independence and sovereignty," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman presented independence and sovereignty to the nation.
"In the absence of Bangabandhu, we have to follow the path of prosperity showed by him to achieve economic emancipation. For that our armed forces have to be ready to face any kind of challenge with farsightedness in the battle of financial liberty," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said at present 8,501 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have been working in 11 missions of the world out of 16 ongoing UN peacekeeping missions.
