As Bangladesh explores the possibility of joining the newly signed military agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Dhaka has stated that there would be no risk in joining the Mecca Pact.
The latest statement from the state minister for foreign affairs, Humaiun Kobir, says that joining the Mecca Pact would not restrict Dhaka's engagement with other partner nations.
"This is a unique pact that presents new opportunities," Kobir told reporters at the foreign ministry after Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah called on him.
"A country like Bangladesh must approach foreign policy and security cooperation in a highly integrated and flexible manner, aligned with the dynamics of the current international political system," he said, adding that the country is working towards balancing its international relations.
Kobir's remarks come days after Bangladesh's foreign minister Khalilur Rahman told Parliament that Dhaka would "positively consider" joining the Mecca defence pact, if invited. The minister added that the pact and joining it was "an internal matter of "our Muslim family and there is no scope for others to be concerned about it."
"Bangladesh will never bow its head to anyone again -- we have buried the subservient foreign policy," he added.
{{/usCountry}}"Bangladesh will never bow its head to anyone again -- we have buried the subservient foreign policy," he added.
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Dhaka signals openness to join
While no formal invitation has been received by Bangladesh, the country has stated that an intent to extend the pact to Dhaka will be "considered positively."
“The matter of joining or participating in this pact has not arisen yet, because it depends on the intention of those who are members of this pact," Rahman further told Parliament.
The remarks from Dhaka also come as Islamabad, Riyadh and Ankara prepare to hold their first meeting under the defence pact.
According to a statement from the Pakistani ministry of foreign affairs, Pakistan will be represented at the meeting by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Defence, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and the Chief of Army Staff & Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
The meeting will also be attended by the respective Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ministers of Defence, as well as Chiefs of General Staff of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
About the Mecca Pact
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement is a military pact signed by three countries - Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey - on August 7.
The agreement also includes a collective provision under which an attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all, similar to NATO's Article 5, hence the references to the pact as "Islamic NATO."
The pact also provides for greater cooperation in defence production, technology transfer and joint military exercises between the three nations. This defence agreement also comes amid growing conflict and tensions in the West Asia region due to the ongoing war between the United States, Israel and Iran, as well as the border conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan.