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Peacekeepers taking part in a peace support operations exercise have stressed the need for training to help them play a significant role in keeping world peace in an age rattled by the threat of terror.

Exercise Shanti Doot-2 began on April 1. The training being held at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training (BIPSOT) has been designed to show the difference between success and failure in future peacekeeping operations, said Brigadier General Saiful Ali, BIPSOT commandant, Tuesday.

"When these soldiers leave BIPSOT, we want them to be trained competent peacekeepers that will discharge their duties and remained calm when attacked and composed under provocation," Ali added.

Lieutenant colonel Edward Tanguy of the US army said: "Our efforts will enhance the availability and capability of these countries to participate in UN regional and worldwide peacekeeping operations."

For three weeks, more than 400 soldiers from 10 countries have been training at the BIPSOT in Rajendrapur Cantonment, according to a statement issued Tuesday. "The Bangladesh people have been hospitable and extremely friendly," said Corporal Amir Biy Hj Tlidup of the Royal Brunei Army.

The scenarios at BIPSOT have been based on real-life incidents, which add to the realism of training, said Sgt Mazlan Hj Abd Halim, also from Brunei. Lieutenant Sunil Soni of Indian army said: "Peace has become a vital need in world. No place in the world has been devoid of terror, so to maintain peace and to make the world a better place, peacekeeping is necessary."

The interaction with other nations and showing of experience has certainly been wonderful and of much use, Sunil Soni said. Captain Mohammad Noman of Bangladesh Army said: "The training is important and essential." He said Bangladesh peacekeepers were preparing to join a peacekeeping mission in the Ivory Coast by August.

The Bangladesh Army and the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) are the host and co-sponsor of the exercise. The exercise consists of two packages—command post exercise (CPX), slated for April 1-11 at Radisson, and field training exercise (FTX) scheduled for April 1-20 at BIPSOT.

The exercise will continue until April 20 under the Global Peace Operations Initiative Programme framework. Around 360 military personnel from 11 countries participated in the FTX. About 120 military and civil personnel from 16 countries—Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia,

Canada, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, UK, Mongolia, Tonga and the US—joined the CPX. Bangladesh is holding 25 key appointments including exercise director/UN Force Headquarters commander and force commander in the CPX. The CPX had three segments such as academic session on April 1-4, mini exercise on April 5 and exercise play on April 7-11.

The certificate awarding ceremony of the CPX will be held at Hotel Radisson at 3.30 pm on April 11, to be attended by the naval chief, vice admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam. BIPSOT is an institute of Bangladesh dedicated to training of peacekeepers for employment in all types of UN Peace Support Operations.

The institute fulfils the requirement of UNDPKO as per General Assembly resolution which outlines 'the necessity and responsibility of every nation to train their armed forces before any deployment'

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