Lt Gen Shailesh Sadashiv Tinaikar, Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS), have awarded the Female Engagement Team (FET) of Bangladesh Army for their extraordinary efforts.
For their exceptional dedication, professionalism, exemplary military ethos, and devotion to duty during their tour of duty in UNMISS, FET of ANBATT 3 was awarded with the “Force Commander’s Commendation.
Bangladesh Army has started inclusion of FET in the battalion from January, 2019 to enhance the total process of peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
As the continuation, a total of 19 FET members were included with BANBATT 3 for UNMISS, said ISPR on Thursday.
FET have participated in a number of outreach activities within the AOR of BANBATT.
They have independently conducted several critical SDPs, LDPs and FP patrols with UNMISS Integrated Team (IT) in a conflicting area, where SSPDF and SPLA(IO) were active and thus facilitated UNMISS stake holders to work on ground in implementing peace.
They have also provided force protection to different delegation teams that visited SWEST and WAU FO. FET have participated in various CIMIC activities in the remote areas of the country and spread the importance of women empowerment among the females of South Sudan.
FET consists of few highly professional female officers and soldiers, who are extremely efficient and knowledgeable.
The FET high-ranking lady officials include Lt Col Masuma Tasnim, Major Afroza Fardousi Shilpy, Major Afsana Tazrin, Major Farhana Akter of Bangladesh Army.
Besides, Kaosar Jahan Kemi,Tanisha Akter Riea, Bobita Akter, Smriti Akter, Rubena Begum, Ayasha Akther, Laila Jarin, Mst Memory Hassan, Sabina Khatun, Shathy Akter,Lima Akter, Sabekunnahar, Muslima Khanum, Mukta Akter and Nasrin Akter are working in the FET .
FET team of BANBAT-3 comprises 19 members. This is the first time a female engagement team is deployed in South Sudan as part of BANBATT. From their initial deployment till today they are working as a part and parcel of contingent’s operational activities.
BANBATT female members are utilized in all operational task without discrimination. Besides, all other duties as like their male counterparts, females were also employed in TOBs and patrolling in violence-prone areas. This shoulder-to-shoulder employment with mail counterparts not only boosted the confidence of own female members but also delivered a sense of security to the vulnerable woman and children of the violence-prone areas.
BANBATT FET members also took part in a number of interactive sessions with local woman including one with Local Women Caucus. Female peacekeepers also participated in various friendly competitions with the locals. All these extraordinary efforts encouraged many local women to express their desire to be the part of main stream of the society including joining in military.
Sometime, members of female engagement team are also being utilized as an exclusive female task group and deal with specific female related issues.
The operational effect that could be made by the FET of BANBATT-3 so far are: Patrol receives overwhelm welcome by the local populace from specially women and children. Force could effectively be engaged with women and children to know their problems and issues which was not possible previously
Sight Personal Example to inculcate self-confidence among the local women. FET is creating sensation among the female segment of visited area to move forward and marge with the mainstream.
FET creates situational awareness including UN Role in Peacebuilding in South Sudan among the female segment of the society. FET could provide medical support to the local women and children as part of CIMIC activities with ease. The team also could demonstrate that addressing of gender perspective in violence-prone areas.
