BNP National Standing Committee Member and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed held a bilateral meeting with Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General (USG) of the United Nations Department of Operational Support (DOS).

The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere at 11:00 a.m. local time on Monday, 6 July 2026, in Room S-2729 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States.

The discussions covered a range of matters of bilateral interest, including operational support for Bangladeshi military and police contingents deployed in UN peacekeeping missions, the expediting of financial reimbursement, environmental sustainability, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, and preparations for deploying Bangladesh’s specialised police contingents in Haiti.

At the outset of the meeting, following an exchange of greetings, the Home Minister thanked the Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Operational Support’s continued and effective assistance in facilitating reimbursement-related matters for Bangladeshi military and police personnel deployed in peacekeeping missions.

He also thanked the DOS Environment Section for its contribution to environmental protection through the installation of solar panels in UN peacekeeping missions.

Salahuddin Ahmed said that Bangladesh, as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, is deeply committed to reducing the carbon footprint and environmental impact of peacekeeping missions.

He noted that Bangladesh was the first country in the world to install solar panels in UN peacekeeping missions. He said Bangladesh is interested in using its specialised experience and capacity in this sector, with UN support, to expand the use of renewable energy and solar panels in mission areas in the future.

The Home Minister further said that Bangladesh remains firmly committed to implementing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. He called on the United Nations to increase investment in environmentally sustainable and gender-responsive infrastructure to ensure a safe, appropriate, and supportive working environment for women peacekeepers in mission areas.

He also emphasised the importance of adequate capacity-building and advanced training so that peacekeepers can perform their duties more effectively in hostile and high-risk operational environments.

Referring to the current unstable and complex security situation in Haiti, Salahuddin Ahmed said that Bangladesh Police has completed preparations to deploy three modern and highly capable specialised Formed Police Units (FPUs).

He said that, compared with conventional FPUs, these units possess specialised expertise in SWAT operations, rapid response platoons, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), forensics and crime scene management, organised crime and cybercrime investigations, riverine operations, and anti-narcotics operations.

To ensure the best use of these specialised capabilities in Haiti, the Home Minister placed several specific proposals before the relevant UN departments. He said that a three-member high-level delegation of Bangladesh Police would participate in Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) discussions at UN Headquarters from 15 to 17 July 2026.

The Minister expressed his expectation of full cooperation from the relevant UN offices in making the discussions successful and in considering the inclusion of the proposed equipment. He also noted that, alongside the deployment of full FPUs, Bangladesh is prepared to co-deploy specialised police teams or platoons with self-sustained units of other Police Contributing Countries (PCCs).

At the conclusion of the discussion, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed reaffirmed Bangladesh’s steadfast and firm commitment to global peace under the UN’s blue flag. He expressed hope that the combination of Bangladesh’s professionalism and the UN’s logistical support would further advance global peacekeeping efforts.

UN Under-Secretary-General Atul Khare highly praised the professionalism, courage, and discipline of Bangladeshi peacekeepers. Appreciating Bangladesh’s pioneering role in environmental protection, he assured that the proposals raised by the Home Minister—including the deployment of specialised police units in Haiti—would be considered with due importance. He also expressed his commitment to further strengthening the UN’s partnership with Bangladesh.