Bangladesh signals openness to joining Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye defence pact
Bangladesh is open to joining the recently formed defence alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior ministers have said, stressing that any decision would be guided by the country's national interests. The pact, signed in Makkah on August 7, establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three.
"Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade," newly appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kobir said in an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS.
Kobir said the government was pursuing a "Bangladesh First" policy and a balanced foreign policy with national interests at its core, which might lead Dhaka to join the defence pact. He added that Bangladesh would also strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan through normal diplomatic engagement, focusing on trade and people-to-people connectivity. Kobir, appointed as the second state minister for foreign affairs, said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to visit Riyadh at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with the tour schedule likely to be finalised after the summer.
Another state minister for foreign affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, supplemented Kobir's comments, saying Bangladesh's national interest and the interests of its people would determine Dhaka's stance on joining the pact. "Whether we join any pact or any multilateral body will be decided primarily on whether Bangladesh's interests and the interests of the Bangladeshi people are protected," she said.
Reported Iran invitation draws mixed responses
Separately, Iran has reportedly received an invitation to join the Mecca Defence Pact, according to Al Mayadeen, citing Mehdi Rahimi, head of the Iranian parliament's Khaneh Mellat news agency. Rahimi said the proposal was under review, describing it as "a victory for Iran, because it has been calling for this for a long time." However, the claim has not been officially confirmed by Iran's Foreign Ministry or by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, or Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has compared the pact's mutual-defence principle to NATO's Article 5, while stressing the agreement is not directed at any particular country. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said Tehran had "no reason for concern" over the pact, according to reports.
Calls for caution in Bangladesh
A report in Bangladesh's Daily Star newspaper has cautioned that Dhaka should carefully weigh the risks of joining the Mecca Pact, warning it could expose the country to conflicts in which it has no direct stake. The report argued that Bangladesh's interests would be better served by retaining the freedom to engage with all sides while pursuing an independent foreign and security policy.