Bangladesh will consider joining Mecca Pact if invited: FM
It is not yet time to discuss the pros and cons of the agreement before receiving a formal proposal, says Khalilur Rahman.
Bangladesh will positively consider joining the recently signed Mecca Pact – a trilateral defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – if a proposal is made, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said today (27 August).
However, he noted, Bangladesh's inclusion in the pact is not currently under discussion.
"It depends on the intent of the member countries. If they express interest in including Bangladesh in this pact, the government will positively consider the matter," the foreign minister said while responding to a supplementary question from independent MP Rumeen Farhana during the third session of the 13th parliament.
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In her question, Brahmanbaria-2 lawmaker Rumeen asked what benefits Bangladesh might gain if it joined the Mecca Pact, signed on 7 August, and whether the country plans to join.
In response, Khalilur said, "This pact has been signed among three countries. We are viewing this pact positively."
"The issue of joining or not joining has not arisen yet, as it depends on the intent of the pact's members. If they express an intention to include Bangladesh, we will certainly consider it positively," he added.
The foreign minister observed that it is not yet time to discuss the pros and cons of the agreement before receiving a formal proposal, adding that the government will keep all aspects in mind.
Commenting on the broader implications, he noted that if the Mecca Pact expands in the future, it could serve as a self-defence mechanism for the global Muslim community.
"This is our family. It is an internal matter of the Muslim family. Others do not need to be concerned about it," he concluded.
