Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers, killed while serving with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), have been posthumously awarded the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal.
The medals were presented during a ceremony at the UN Headquarters in New York on Friday, marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. UN Secretary-General António Guterres handed the awards to Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, recognizing the soldiers' ultimate sacrifice for global peace and security.
The honored martyrs are Corporal Md. Masud Rana, and Privates Md. Jahangir Alam, Md. Sabuj Mia, Md. Mominul Islam, Shamim Reza, and Santo Mondal. The six peacekeepers were tragically killed in a drone strike on December 13, 2025, while on duty under the UN flag.
During the event, attendees observed a minute of silence to remember the nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1948. Secretary-General Guterres also acknowledged the vital contributions of the more than 50,000 peacekeepers currently deployed in missions worldwide.
This year, the UN awarded the medal to 68 military, police, and civilian personnel from 33 member states. Following the ceremony, Ambassador Chowdhury signed the official condolence book in memory of the fallen.
Established by the UN Security Council in 1997, the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal is the highest tribute given to peacekeepers who lose their lives serving in UN missions.
