On August 7 earlier this month, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a significant pact which dictates that an armed attack on any one of these three nations will be treated as an assault on all of them. Following this development, Bangladesh has issued a major statement regarding the Makkah pact. Dhaka has maintained that it perceives no risks in aligning with Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan for this collective defence initiative. Furthermore, authorities stressed that entering this framework will not impose any restrictions or barriers on Bangladesh's diplomatic ties with its other international partners.
An Internal Matter Of The Muslim Family
The latest comments were delivered during a press conference by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir. Prior to this, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman stated in parliament that if an official invitation is extended, Bangladesh would evaluate joining the Makkah defence pact in a positive light. He characterized the arrangement as an internal affair of our Muslim family, asserting that there is no logical ground for other nations to express concern over it.
Ongoing Discussions And Maintaining Balance
State Minister Humayun Kabir noted that Bangladesh is currently deliberating on the matter, adding that discussions with all bilateral partners are moving forward positively. He highlighted that a country like Bangladesh must adopt a highly integrated, flexible approach toward foreign policy and security cooperation to match the dynamics of the modern international political order. According to Kabir, aligned with this perspective, the nation will successfully maintain a balance across its global relationships. He argued that in today's volatile and crisis-prone geopolitical climate, associating with one particular sphere does not mean a country cannot contribute to other alliances or regions, nor does it narrow its overall scope.
High-Level Talks With Saudi Leadership
Elaborating on his diplomatic engagements, Humayun Kabir shared that during his visit to Jeddah last week, he held several bilateral meetings, including talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, where the defence agreement was specifically addressed. He noted that the response from their negotiators during these exchanges was extremely positive. Earlier on Thursday, when an independent lawmaker sought clarification on Dhaka's stance regarding the Makkah pact, Foreign Minister Rahman reiterated inside parliament that the government views the agreement in a favorable manner.
