Bangladesh Positively Weighs Joining Mecca Pact
Dhaka
Bangladesh will positively consider joining the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement if its founding members invite Dhaka to become part of the framework, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman told Parliament on Thursday. The agreement was signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan earlier this month and provides for closer defence cooperation among the three countries.
Responding to a question in Parliament, Rahman said Bangladesh had not yet received a formal invitation to join the pact. He said it would therefore be premature to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of membership. However, if the existing members expressed an intention to include Bangladesh, the government would examine the proposal positively.
The minister said Bangladesh would give the highest priority to the interests and needs of the country and its people while considering any defence agreement or alliance. He described the pact as a mechanism for self-defence among Muslim countries and said there was no reason for others to be concerned if the framework expanded.
The government’s position received support from Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman. In a social media post, he said joining the Mecca pact was Bangladesh’s own decision. He said any decision taken in the interests and needs of the country and its people should not cause concern to others.
Earlier this week, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Dhaka had expressed interest in the agreement and was viewing the proposal positively. He said it would not be unusual for Bangladesh to participate in a security arrangement involving Muslim-majority countries, although no formal decision had been taken.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. The pact aims to strengthen collective security, deepen defence cooperation and promote peace and stability. It includes a mutual defence commitment under which an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all.
Bangladesh’s possible participation could have wider regional and diplomatic implications, particularly given its relations with India, China and other major powers. For now, Dhaka is waiting for a formal invitation before taking the next step.
