Dhaka: Bangladesh has said it remains committed to training its peacekeepers on issues relating to sexual and gender-based violence and enhancing the participation of female peacekeepers in contingents.

Bangladesh is also encouraging its force and sector commanders to maintain regular interface with local communities and civil society actors, among others.

Ambassador and Permanent Representative (PR) of Bangladesh to the United Nations Masud Bin Momen said this during an open debate at the UN Security Council on 'Sexual Violence in Conflict as a Tactic of War and Terrorism', said a press release on Wednesday.

"Bangladesh condemns and concerns over the growing trend of the use of sexual violence during conflict as a tactic of war and terrorism by both state and non-state actors," said Masud Momen.

During the War of Liberation in 1971, he recalled, there was a mass scale of sexual violence committed against Bangladesh's women and girls, leaving behind 200,000 victims.

"As we remain engaged in a sustained counter terrorism drive, we see a rather new trend among terrorists and violent extremists to use women and children, mostly family members, to amplify their ranks," he said.

Masud said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon all women and mothers to work as sentinels within their families and actively contribute to the 'whole-of-society' response against violent extremism and radicalisation.'

The Uruguay Presidency of the Council for this month convened this open debate where the USA, the UK, China, France, Russian Federation, Germany, India and Japan delivered statements along with others 68 other countries.