Dhaka [Bangladesh], August 24 (ANI): Bangladesh on Monday expressed a keen interest in joining the newly established Mecca Defence Pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye, with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humauin Kobir stating that Dhaka hopes to "respond positively" to entering the trilateral alliance.
The announcement comes following the formation of the new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, as regional security dynamics in West Asia continue to evolve.
State Minister Kobir confirmed that the government has been briefed on joining various international agreements, highlighting Dhaka's active consideration of the Mecca pact.
"We are interested in the Mecca Defence Pact matter. After the government was formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, we were informed about joining various agreements in different places, and we are moving forward accordingly," Kobir told reporters here.
"We hope to respond positively to the Mecca pact," he added, without elaborating on the possible terms or timeline for Bangladesh's participation.
The development comes amid growing regional security concerns in West Asia and follows the signing of the Mecca Defence Pact by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Mecca on August 7.
The agreement seeks to strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation among the three countries and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the signatories would be regarded as an attack against all three.
Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit Saudi Arabia. Diplomatic sources said the Bangladesh Prime Minister is likely to visit Saudi Arabia from October 20-22, 2026.
Meanwhile, India has said it is closely following developments in West Asia when asked about reports that Bangladesh is interested in joining the Mecca Defence Pact.
Responding to a question on Bangladesh's reported interest in the trilateral defence agreement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said New Delhi was monitoring developments in the region.
"We continue to closely follow developments that are happening in West Asia. This is what I have to say at this point in time," Jaiswal said during a media briefing.
The MEA's response came after Kobir, earlier in an interview, said that Dhaka was open to joining the Mecca pact.
The MEA had said that India was examining the implications of the agreement from the perspective of national security as well as regional peace and stability.
"Regarding the agreement that was signed recently, let me say that we continue to closely follow developments in the West Asia conflict. As far as this particular agreement is concerned, we are examining its implications, both from the perspective of our national security as well as considerations of regional stability, peace and stability," Jaiswal had said in a prior briefing.
He had further asserted that India remained committed to safeguarding its national interests and would take all necessary measures in this regard.
The Mecca Defence Pact was signed amid heightened tensions and conflicts across West Asia, with the region facing multiple security challenges and growing geopolitical uncertainty. Bangladesh's stated interest in the agreement could potentially expand the pact's membership beyond its original three signatories and add another South Asian dimension to the emerging regional security framework. (ANI)
"Hope to respond positively": Bangladesh signals interest in joining Mecca Defence Pact
