Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman returned home on Friday after concluding a five-day official visit to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
During the visit, the army chief inspected the Bangladesh Army’s Engineer Company and Infantry Battalion and Bangladesh Navy’s Force Marine Unit deployed in South Sudan, as well as the Bangladesh Army’s Infantry Battalion in Abyei, an ISPR press release said.
In both mission areas, the army chief provided guidance to Bangladeshi peacekeepers to maintain the highest level of alertness and discharge their duties with professionalism, discipline and dedication.
He also exchanged views with Bangladeshi staff officers, observers and contingent members serving in UNMISS and UNISFA and was briefed on their activities and the overall situation in the missions.
As part of the visit, the army chief separately met and exchanged views with UNMISS Force Commander Major General Junhui Wu and UNISFA Force Commander Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha.
He also met with the Mission Leadership Team and National Monitors from Sudan and South Sudan in Abyei.
During these meetings, various issues, including the overall activities of the missions, security situation and operational challenges, were discussed.
Later, the army chief paid courtesy calls on South Sudan Defence Minister Chol Thon Balok and Chief of Defence Forces General Santino Deng Wol and exchanged views with them. During the meeting, the South Sudan Defence Forces accorded the army chief a guard of honour.
The visit of the army chief is expected to boost the morale of Bangladeshi peacekeepers, further strengthen Bangladesh’s mutual relations and cooperation with the countries concerned and the United Nations and play a supportive role in expanding the scope of Bangladesh’s peacekeeping activities.
