Dhaka: The United Nations sought an infantry battalion composed of 850 personnel from Bangladesh for its peacekeeping mission.

The battalion will be deployed to meet the immediate requirement in Wau area of South Sudan.

In this regard a recent request has been sent from the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) to the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations, according to a message received in Dhaka on Friday.

The government of Bangladesh has promptly accepted the offer of contributing the infantry battalion and necessary preparations are underway for the speedy and smooth deployment.

Bangladesh also received offer of contributing an Engineering Company of 260 personnel last month.

Both the compliments are expected to be deployed shortly under ‘United Nations Mission in South Sudan’ (UNMISS).

These offers have been received on the basis of pledges that were made by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during ‘Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping’ on 28 September 2015 in New York.

Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations is closely coordinating with the UN Secretariat to materialise the pledges.

Presently, a total of 6,850, including 198 female, Bangladeshi peacekeepers are deployed in 13 different peacekeeping missions.

So far a total of 1,46,143 personnel of Bangladesh Armed Forces and Police have participated in 54 peacekeeping missions in 40 different countries.

The security situation in South Sudan, particularly in the Greater Equatorias, in parts of Unity, and Western Bahr el Ghazal states, remains volatile, with frequent outbreak of violence that resulted in civilian casualties and displacement in recent months.