Ravaged by 14 years of civil war, Liberia stands on the threshold of a new beginning. More than 3,000 members of the Bangladesh army, who top the list of contributing countries across the world, are deployed in one part of this African country under the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to maintain peace that they have secured with lot of efforts, including providing security during crucial elections that brought the continent's first women president, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, to power.

"Banglades(h) Goo(d) Frien(d)," is a statement that echoes in typical Liberian English wherever our troops have put their footprints. It is no easy job to make friends in an alien country with a very high illiteracy rate -- nearly 80 percent of the best and brightest fleeing to other countries due to the war. But our boys have achieved that by their honesty, niceties, gestures and hard work.

President Sirleaf recently told a Bangladesh media team that her government was grateful to Bangladesh for the work their soldiers have been doing in Liberia. She said: "The Bangladeshi troops have played a commendable role not only in peacekeeping but also in activities for the welfare of the common people."

"Your soldiers have never violated human rights, they are not linked to any incident of exploitation," Lieutenant General Isaac Obiakor, the force commander in Liberia, told the group of visiting Bangladeshi journalists. The Nigerian general was "impressed" by the performance of Bangladeshi troops, and said: "Your men are doing very well in different sector including rehabilitating ex-combatants and the unemployed."

"They have kept the Bangladesh flag flying high," said Obiakor. James K Sumo, a student of the University of Liberia, said, "Bangladeshi soldiers never misbehave with our women. We are very grateful to them."

Representative Buckhannon Grablial Smith said: "We are highly pleased with the performance of the Bangladesh army. They are so nice that our people treat them as brothers. They are a part of our people."

The Bangladeshi troops have earned the name of upholders of human rights and dignity. Not one women complained, but only had words of praise for the character of our forces.

Indeed as we visited different parts of the war-ravaged country where Nigerian and Pakistani forces are also deployed, from senior government leaders to the man on the street echoed the general.

The Army Engineers, Signals and the Medical Corps have done their bit to get acclamation from all.

I would like to point out the case of one young and ever-smiling officer. He is Captain Ejaj, but known to the locals as "Captain Eja."

We met ex-combatants and other local officials at his camp in Buchanan county where they were pained to know their very "trusted" and "loving" Captain Eja was returning home after completing his mission.

An elderly lady security officer broke down. She said: "We don't know how the next an will be but we will never for get Captain Eja. He has responded to our call for help any time of the day or night."

The Bangladesh forces besides their regular work gave free treatment and medicines to some 80,000 Liberians suffering mainly from enteric fever or diarrhoea.

While all of them would gift their own food to the locals who have hardly anything to eat other than what is called "cassava" -- a plant root. "Chow" and "chop" are the two words that all ages of poverty-hit Liberians shout whenever they see a Bangladeshi blue beret. It simply means "food."

"Healthy Nation, Healthy People," one huge billboard in capital Monrovia shows Bangladeshi medical team helping the locals. It is the only billboard of its kind that made us so proud. In fact no Bangladeshi blue beret has been infected by HIV/AIDS and it speaks of their respect for strict rules as well as morality.

In such a free society where women dress casually and are often seen topless, one can only wonder how our troops have maintained such a record since landing there in 2003.

Our soldiers live with death every moment of the day. The most severe kind of Malaria is rampant while "Lhasa fever," a fatal disease spread by rats, is another alarming health concern. Their barracks are protected by medicine and every door has a high wood blockade to stop the rats from entering. Every minute they have to be careful what they are eating as rats might have paid an unwelcome visit. For me, the two weeks were a constant fear of disease. Our soldiers also face security risk as they maintain peace.

UN officials said a key component of UN Security Council resolution 1509 (2003) establishing UNMIL was "Support for Implementation of the Ceasefire Agreement" between the warring factions.

Achieving total peace in Liberia depended on what is called DDRR, a program of comprehensive disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration. The program was launched just two months after the ceasefire became effective in September 2003.

"Bangladeshi peacekeepers along with those from other countries have completed the DD part and are now working on the RR part," the official said.

They have touched the hearts of orphans and the disabled by providing whatever help they could. Our boys did not make any religious segregation in extending their love and friendship which too as been acclaimed.

At the Mission For Orphans, Disabled and Uncared Children, a special cultural program was organised to mark the visit of the media team. The children, dressed in their typical African colourful headgears and drums, made our bodies shake a little too.

Their song rounded it off:

"O Bangladesh, great Bangladesh,
God bless your country.
From war and destruction, to peace and reconstruction.
We thank you Bangladesh.
You helped give us hope for a better tomorrow.
Thank you Bangladesh, long live Bangladesh."

I say thank you to our peacekeepers. You have all given me a reason to be proud of after many a years.

Nadeem Qadir is a freelance journalist and TV anchor. He was with the peace-keepers in Liberia to shoot a TV serial on the armed forces.