Army Chief returns home after US-Canada visit
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Pic: Collected
Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman has returned home after his US-Canada visit.
This information was given in a press release by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday (October 25) night.
The ISPR said that during the visit, General Waqar-uz-Zaman met with important figures related to the peacekeeping mission at the UN headquarters, high-ranking military and civilian officials including the US Army Chief, and high-ranking military and civilian officials and individuals of Canada.
The press release said that on October 17, the Army Chief held a bilateral meeting with Under-Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary General of the Department of Operational Support Atul Khare, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights Ilje Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific for the Under-Secretary-General, Department of Political and Peace building Affairs Mohammad Khaled Khaeri, and Director of the Office for Peacekeeping Strategic Partnerships General Jay Menon at the UN Headquarters in New York.
During the meeting with Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman, they highly appreciated the peacekeeping activities of Bangladeshi peacekeepers, especially members of the armed forces.
According to the ISPR, in these meetings, the Army Chief emphasized the importance of increasing the participation of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in UN peacekeeping missions and increasing Bangladesh's representation at the policy-making/force command level. In addition, the Army Chief informed everyone that if allegations of human rights violations are proven against army members while deployed in RAB Forces, they will not be selected for peacekeeping missions.
The Army Chief also shed light on the ongoing activities of the Bangladesh Army as per the guidelines of the interim government in the current situation in Bangladesh.
Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman highlighted the various positive aspects taken by the Bangladesh government and the army to improve socio-economic and peace order in the Chattogram Hill Tracts.
The release said that the Army Chief also informed them about the operation of hospitals and clinics by the Bangladeshi peacekeeping contingents deployed in various peacekeeping missions to ensure healthcare for the local people. Exchange of training on peacekeeping among the participating countries, increasing operational capacity, and other issues related to the mission were discussed with importance. The Army Chief reiterated the strong role and support of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in world peacekeeping to senior UN officials.
The Army Chief also visited the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in New York and paid a courtesy call on the Permanent Representative.
According to the ISPR, on October 22, the Army Chief paid a courtesy call and held discussions with the US Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy A. George at the Pentagon in Washington DC.
During the meeting, they discussed issues related to the interests of the two countries' armies, especially UN peacekeeping missions, training assistance, development of bilateral relations and mutual confidence-building, mutual cooperation in regional security, post-disaster humanitarian assistance, and joint training. The US Army Chief's Foreign Policy Adviser was present at the time.
The Army Chief also paid a courtesy call on Dr. Eli Ratner, Assistant Military Secretary for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, US Secretary of Defense Office. During the meeting, discussions were held on further strengthening the relationship between the Indo-Pacific countries and the Bangladesh Army, increasing mutual cooperation, and future plans.
Lindsey W. Ford, Special Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for South Asia, and senior military and civilian officials of the National Security Council for South Asia were also present.
The release said that General Waqar-uz-Zaman paid a courtesy call on Donald Lu, Assistant Secretary of the US Department of State. During the meeting, the Army Chief briefed him on the overall security situation in the country and the various activities of the army in support of the government. Other senior officials of the State Department were present at the meeting.
During his visit to Canada, the Army Chief paid a courtesy call on Lieutenant General Stephen R. Kelsey, Vice Chief of the Canadian Defense Staff.
During the meeting, he spoke about facilitating the visa process for Bangladeshi students, serving and retired military personnel. He mentioned strengthening cooperation in the field of defense, especially the exchange of trainees between military training institutions.
Also, Salma Zahid, a member of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration of the Canadian Parliament, met with the Army Chief. During the meeting, they discussed various issues related to mutual interests of the two countries.
Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman emphasized on facilitating the visa process especially for students and serving/retired military officers, signing of MoUs with Bangladeshi universities for educational exchange, cooperation in the health sector including agriculture and infrastructure development by sending caregivers.
Also, Canadian High Commissioner-designate HE Ajit Singh to Bangladesh and Bangladesh High Commissioner to Canada Nahida Sobhan paid a courtesy call on the Army Chief. It is worth noting that the Army Chief went to the United States and Canada on October 15.
