Bangladesh Army Chief unlikely to visit India for UN troop contributor chiefs' conclave

New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) As India and Bangladesh face a turbulent phase in their bilateral relationship since the formation of the interim government, sources told IANS that Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman is unlikely to visit India for the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries’ (UNTCC) Chiefs Conclave in New Delhi from October 14 to 16.

An official who did not wish to be named said, “There are possibilities that the Bangladesh Army Chief will not take part in this conference and would be replaced by one of his junior colleagues.”

The Indian Army will host the UNTCC Chiefs Conclave in New Delhi from October 14 to 16, bringing together senior military leadership of over 30 nations that are key contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.

A Curtain Raiser was organised at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on October 1, where Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor, DCOAS, briefed about the modalities of conduct of the upcoming Conclave.

The senior army official underlined the significance of the conclave as a “unique platform for UN Troop Contributing Countries to foster dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding.”

He also highlighted India’s steadfast commitment to UN peacekeeping, the nation’s role as one of the largest troop contributors and the “Indian Army’s readiness to share its operational experience, innovations and best practices.”

Notably, at the UNTCC Chiefs conclave in New Delhi, Chiefs and representatives from nations across the world will attend including- Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, France, Italy, Algeria, Armenia, Brazil, Burundi, Cambodia, Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Rwanda and Senegal, apart from India.

--IANS

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