Colleagues and friends of fallen peacekeeper Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui came together in their hundreds to mourn his death at the Bangladeshi contingent’s UN base in Juba.

The Military Liaison Officer from Bangladesh was killed this week in an armed attack on a UN convoy of peacekeepers providing protection to humanitarian workers trying to reach vulnerable displaced people in desperate need of assistance.

Speaking at the funeral service, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, David Shearer, paid tribute to Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui.

“As a mission, we are truly grateful for his courage knowing that he has put himself in harm’s way to protect those who are most vulnerable,” said David Shearer. “The mission that he was on when he died was to an area where people have been killed, where women have been raped, and where people are hungry, and he was taking them the humanitarian supplies and support that they desperately needed.”

The Lieutenant Commander had only been deployed in South Sudan for six weeks. But, in that short time, he demonstrated his commitment to the Mission’s efforts to protect civilians and build durable peace across the war-torn country by putting his own life at risk to save others.

“The act of going in first, of willingly doing your duty in a dangerous environment, is by its very nature an act of heroic self-sacrifice for the sake of others,” said Lieutenant Commander Forhad Shamin from the Bangladesh Force Marine Unit to those at the service. “The man we honor today had that spirit of self-sacrifice and devotion to duty to an awe-inspiring degree. Our children and yours, our grandchildren and yours will be safer for it.”

The Head of UNMISS said all personnel were mourning the loss of Lieutenant Ashraf Siddiqui but would also be inspired by his contribution to continue with their efforts in South Sudan.

 “Let us not let Lieutenant Commander Ashraf’s sacrifice be in vain. Let us not be deterred from our objectives in the face of that needless violence and that needless aggression,” he said. “I know, and I have every faith in this mission, that we will go on with unwavering dedication in our commitment to bring peace in South Sudan.”

Military, police and civilian staff from all countries bade farewell by saluting Lieutenant Commander Ashraf Siddiqui as the husband, father, friend and professional naval officer began his journey back to Bangladesh, returning to his family to rest in peace.