DHAKA/MUNICH, Feb 18, 2024 (BSS) - Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen has said conflicting parties in regions afflicted with trouble now appeared to be taking advantage of geopolitical rivalries, a scenario that protract the crises alongside making seriously difficult peacekeeping operations there.

“Conflicting parties take advantage of the geopolitical rivalries protracting the crises and seriously affecting peacekeeping operations,” a foreign ministry statement quoted Momen as telling a session on Peacekeeping operations in the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

Momen also highlighted Bangladesh troops’ commitment and continued contributions to the peacekeeping operations, including their track record of winning the hearts and minds of the local communities where they served.

Bangladesh currently is the leading troops’ contributor in the troubled regions under the UN blue helmet peacekeeping mission.  

The top bureaucrat also reiterated Dhaka’s views on the current Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza describing it as the outcome of “double standard” regarding Israeli atrocities and calling it “unfortunate”.

“The Foreign Secretary mentioned that the ‘double standard’ observed with regard to Israeli atrocities on the unarmed civilians in Gaza especially on women and children were unfortunate,” the statement said.

Norway’s international development minister, Portugal’s national defence minister and head of the mission to Iraq Volker Perthes spoke in the panel, moderated by Centre for International Peace Operations executive director Astrid Irrgang.

The foreign secretary is participating in the Munich Security Conference as part of the Bangladesh delegation led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.