Bangladesh has indicated that it sees no immediate obstacle to joining the ‘Makkah Joint Defence Agreement’, a security pact currently involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye. Dhaka’s latest remarks have strengthened speculation that Bangladesh could consider becoming part of the arrangement if it receives an invitation. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Bangladesh’s participation in the pact would not necessarily limit its relations or cooperation with other countries. He described the agreement as a development that could open up “new opportunities” while stressing that Dhaka’s foreign policy would continue to remain flexible.
Kobir made the remarks during a media interaction at the Foreign Ministry on Sunday, shortly after a meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah. “This is a unique pact that presents new opportunities,” he told reporters, news agency PTI reported. The state minister said Bangladesh is already discussing the issue with its international partners and indicated that the consultations are moving in a positive direction.
Kobir said Bangladesh was “currently holding discussions on this matter” and that “those discussions are progressing positively with all bilateral partners.” He emphasised that Dhaka needs to adopt an integrated approach to foreign policy and security cooperation, taking into account the changing nature of international politics.ย “A country like Bangladesh must approach foreign policy and security cooperation in a highly integrated and flexible manner, aligned with the dynamics of the current international political system,” he added.
Dhaka insists joining one alliance will not close other doors
Kobir said Bangladesh would seek to maintain a balance in its international relations even if it decides to enter into a particular security arrangement. “In line with this approach, we will balance our international relations,” he said. The minister argued that cooperation in one particular area should not automatically prevent Bangladesh from working with other countries or participating in different international groupings.
“Entering into one specific sphere within today’s volatile or crisis-driven international political climate does not mean you cannot contribute to other alliances or fields. It does not restrict your scope,” the minister added.
Kobir also revealed that the issue was discussed during several bilateral meetings, including his meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud during his visit to Jeddah last week. According to Kobir, the responses he received from his interlocutors were “positive, very positive.”
Bangladesh has not yet received an invitation
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman had already indicated Bangladesh’s favourable position on the issue while responding to questions in Parliament on Thursday. Replying to an independent lawmaker who sought clarification on Dhaka’s position, Rahman said, “We view this pact positively.” He described the defence arrangement as an internal matter involving the Muslim family and said there was no reason for others to be concerned about it.
The minister also made it clear that Bangladesh has not yet received a formal invitation to join the agreement. However, he said Dhaka would be willing to examine the proposal positively if an invitation is extended.ย “Bangladesh will never bow its head to anyone again — we have buried the subservient foreign policy,” he said.
Responding to another question from a Bangladesh nationalist Party (BNP) lawmaker, Rahman attributed Bangladesh’s current diplomatic position to what he described as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s strong and successful foreign policy.
Rahman reiterated that Bangladesh has yet to receive an offer to join the pact, but added, “we will certainly consider it positively” if the participating countries express an intention to include Dhaka.
What is the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement?
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7 amid heightened security concerns linked to growing tensions in West Asia. The agreement was signed at the Al-Safa Palace in Mecca following the Makkah Al-Mukarramah Summit for Joint Defence. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the pact.
According to a joint statement, the agreement seeks to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression. One of its key provisions states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three.ย This collective-security provision is also at the centre of the debate over whether Bangladesh should eventually become part of the arrangement.
India’s position on the Mecca Pact
India is also closely monitoring developments surrounding the new defence agreement. During his weekly briefing in New Delhi on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the pact and said, “We continue to closely follow all developments having a bearing on India’s security and take all necessary steps to safeguard it.”
India’s statement comes against the backdrop of Bangladesh considering closer security engagement with the countries that have signed the agreement, although Dhaka has not yet been formally invited to join it.
Former diplomats question Bangladesh’s possible entry
Bangladesh’s possible participation has triggered debate among foreign policy experts and former diplomats, particularly because the country has traditionally followed a policy of strict non-alignment and avoided joining military alliances.
Former ambassador and commentator Mahfuzur Rahman argued that the strategic circumstances of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye are different from those of Bangladesh. He noted that the three existing members are either engaged in military conflicts or could potentially face armed confrontations, whereas Bangladesh has comparatively little likelihood of facing a similar situation.
“A military accord like the Mecca Pact could be important for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, but not essential in any way for Bangladesh,” he told PTI. Rahman also warned that Bangladesh could potentially find itself involved in a conflict without what he considers a justified reason because of the pact’s collective-security provision.
He said Bangladesh could become exposed to the consequences of a war involving another member if it signs an agreement that contains obligations related to collective defence.
Security and economic interests under scrutiny
Another former diplomat, Humayun Kabir, who heads the think-tank Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, pointed to Bangladesh’s longstanding position against entering military alliances. “If this is a military pact, then we have to examine how the security interests of all its members align with Bangladesh’s national security interests,” he said.
Kabir said Bangladesh would need to carefully assess how the inclusion of particular countries could affect its national security, economic interests and broader strategic priorities before making a decision.
The debate therefore goes beyond the question of whether Bangladesh has been invited. The larger issue is whether the security commitments associated with the agreement fit Dhaka’s traditional foreign policy approach and long-term national interests.
Supporters see strategic benefits for Bangladesh
Not everyone in Bangladesh believes joining the alliance would necessarily expose the country to greater risks. Supporters of the proposal argue that closer security cooperation with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye could give Bangladesh greater strategic depth and potentially strengthen its national security position.
Retired military general Fazle Elahi Akbar, a former defence adviser to former prime minister Khaleda Zia and head of the Foundation for Strategic and Development Studies (FSDS), rejected the argument that joining an alliance would automatically drag Bangladesh into a war.ย He described the suggestion that Bangladesh could be forced into conflicts simply by joining the arrangement as an “overestimation of the risks.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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