<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">United Nations Under-Secretaries General Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Catherine Pollard jointly paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meeting, they discussed different issues including the UN peacekeeping operations, climate change and women security, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The UN officials said the world body has successfully completed 75 years of its peacekeeping operation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They highly praised the Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their contribution to maintain peace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this regard, the prime minister told the UN officials that Bangladesh has been contributing to the UN peacekeeping missions for three decades with dedication and professionalism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said Bangladesh is the largest troops contributing country for the UN peacekeeping missions. "Some 7,500 Bangladeshi males and females are employed in nine UN peacekeeping missions around the globe," the press secretary quoted her as saying.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Catherine Pollard thanked the prime minister for Bangladesh's contribution to the trust fund to check sexual exploitation and abuse.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In reply, Hasina said Bangladesh is deeply committed to women security and increasing women's participation in UN peacekeeping.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She reiterated her government's zero tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said Bangladesh has taken serious punitive measures against the individuals who were found guilty through investigation in this regard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Talking about climate change, the PM said Bangladesh is a vulnerable country and her government is implementing mitigation and adaptation programmes with its own funds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the United Nations Muhammad Abdul Muhith were present at the meeting. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>