Bangladesh says no risk in joining Mecca defence pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkiye

Bangladesh on Sunday said it sees no risk in joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, arguing that participation in the pact would not limit its engagement with other international partners, news agency PTI reported.State minister for foreign affairs Humaiun Kobir said Dhaka was holding discussions on the issue and that the talks were “progressing positively” with its bilateral partners. He said Bangladesh would pursue a flexible foreign policy while balancing its international relationships.“This is a unique pact that presents new opportunities,” Kobir told reporters after a meeting with Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah.Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 amid heightened security concerns in West Asia. The pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and states that an armed attack against any one of the three signatories would be regarded as an attack against all.India has said it is closely monitoring developments related to the pact and will take necessary steps to safeguard its security interests.Dhaka says pact will not restrict other alliancesKobir said joining one area of security cooperation would not prevent Bangladesh from contributing to other alliances or partnerships. He added that during his recent visit to Jeddah, he discussed the pact with several officials, including Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and received a “very positive” response.Foreign minister Khalilur Rahman had earlier told Parliament that Bangladesh viewed the pact positively and would consider joining if it received an invitation. However, he said Dhaka had not yet received any formal offer to join the agreement.Experts warn of possible foreign policy complicationsBangladeshi foreign policy experts and former diplomats have expressed reservations about Dhaka joining the military pact, saying it could mark a departure from the country's longstanding policy of non-alignment and potentially complicate ties with India.Former ambassador Mahfuzur Rahman said the pact may be important for Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye but was not essential for Bangladesh, which faces little likelihood of being drawn into the kinds of conflicts involving the existing members.Another former diplomat, Humayun Kabir, said Bangladesh would need to assess whether the security interests of the pact's members align with its own national, economic and strategic interests.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.