UN fund crisis: 1,313 Bangladeshi peacekeepers to return home

Due to the ongoing financial crisis in the United Nations’ peacekeeping operations, at least 1,313 Bangladeshi peacekeepers are set to be repatriated within the next nine months. The UN has decided to withdraw these Bangladeshi peacekeepers from five missions as part of an emergency plan under a 15 per cent budget cut caused by the financial crisis.

Diplomatic sources in New York told Prothom Alo yesterday, Saturday, that the Office of Military Affairs (OMA) under the UN Department of Peace Operations has sent a letter to Bangladesh’s permanent mission in New York. The letter, dated 14 October, mentioned the decision to reduce the number of Bangladeshi peacekeepers.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has ordered the implementation of a 15 per cent budget reduction plan for peacekeeping operations amid the ongoing financial crisis. Under this plan, the allocation for uniformed personnel in UN peacekeeping missions will be reduced by 15 per cent.

A high-level source from the government in Dhaka confirmed yesterday afternoon that Bangladesh’s permanent mission in New York has informed the government about the plan to reduce the number of Bangladeshi peacekeepers from several UN missions.

Earlier on 9 October, the news agency AFP reported that the United Nations plans to cut one-fourth of its global peacekeeping forces across nine missions. Citing a senior UN official, the report stated that the decision came due to a funding shortfall caused by reduced financial support from the United States.

The UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that between 13,000 and 14,000 troops and police personnel could be repatriated because of the funding cuts, in addition to a significant number of civilian staff working at the missions being affected.

According to the AFP report, the total budget for UN peacekeeping missions in 2025-26 was USD 5.4 billion (540 crore), of which the US was supposed to contribute USD 1.3 billion (130 crore) as donations. However, Washington has now informed the UN that it will contribute only half that amount, around USD 682 million (68.2 crore).

The OMA letter
Diplomatic sources from New York confirmed that the UN Office of Military Affairs (OMA) sent the letter to Bangladesh’s permanent mission in New York on 14 October.

According to the letter, the UN Secretary-General decided to implement a 15 per cent budget cut across all peacekeeping operations as an emergency measure due to the financial crisis. Given the ongoing financial crisis, the UN said the impact on peacekeeping operations made this difficult decision inevitable.

According to the decision, the 15 per cent budget cut will apply only to uniformed personnel across all peacekeeping missions. Although it is not a direct instruction to reduce personnel proportionately, in practice, the reduced budget will lead to a significant drop in the number of peacekeepers on the ground, the letter added.

According to the UN letter, the number of Bangladeshi peacekeepers will be reduced in five UN missions. Of them a total of 617 personnel will be withdrawn from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), 341 from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), 268 from the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), 79 from the mission in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and eight from the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO).

The letter also stated that the UN Headquarters has already instructed respective missions to implement the budget reduction plan without delay. It added that the UN logistics, uniformed capabilities, and mission support departments are coordinating to ensure the smooth repatriation of peacekeepers.

The OMA letter also assured Bangladesh’s permanent mission that the decision was made solely due to the ongoing financial crisis in the peacekeeping operations. If any further changes to the plan arise that affect Bangladesh, the OMA will notify Dhaka as soon as possible.

The letter also reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to maintaining close cooperation with Bangladesh’s permanent mission in achieving their shared goals of peace and partnership.

Bangladesh in peacekeeping missions
Bangladesh began its journey in global peacekeeping under the UN’s blue helmets in 1988, when it sent 15 personnel to the United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group. Since then, Bangladesh has continued its proud contribution, with 5,696 peacekeepers, including 444 women, currently serving in 10 countries as of 31 August.

Over the past 35 years, 168 Bangladeshi peacekeepers have lost their lives and at least 257 have been injured while serving in UN missions. Through professionalism, Bangladesh has become one of the top troop-contributing nations and currently ranks as the third-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR), Bangladeshi peacekeepers have successfully completed 63 United Nations missions in 43 countries and regions over the past three decades. The Armed Forces Division’s website notes that at least 178,743 members of the armed forces have served in these missions during this long journey.

At present, Bangladeshi peacekeepers are deployed in 10 countries or locations- the Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, South Sudan, Western Sahara in northwestern Africa, Yemen, Libya, and the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.

Bangladesh Police joined UN peacekeeping operations in 1989 through participation in the Namibia mission. Since then, 21,815 police officers have taken part in 26 missions across 24 countries. Currently, 199 police officers are serving in three countries. To date, 24 police personnel have sacrificed their lives while performing their duties with peacekeeping missions in conflict zones and adverse conditions