Bangladesh ready to help protect Makkah, Madinah: Shama

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Monday said that Bangladesh stood ready to assist Saudi Arabia if Makkah and Madinah faced any security threats amid the ongoing regional conflict.
“If any threat emerges against Makkah or Madinah, Bangladesh will certainly not remain indifferent. We will extend a helping hand to protect the two holy cities,” she told reporters after attending a seminar titled “Foreign Policy of Bangladesh: Navigating Pathways in a Shifting World,” organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at its auditorium in the capital.
Responding to a question about Bangladesh’s willingness to assist Saudi Arabia in safeguarding the two holy cities, Shama said, “For Muslims, Makkah and Madinah are not merely matters of diplomacy. They are also deeply connected to our emotions and religious sentiments.”
The state minister, however, clarified that Bangladesh had not yet formally joined the proposed Makkah Pact.

The statement comes as Saudi Arabia faces a series of Houthi attacks, including strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, raising concerns over the security of civilian infrastructure.
Dhaka has denounced the attacks and reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia, expressing solidarity with the kingdom’s government and people.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has also conveyed Bangladesh’s position in a letter to the Saudi Crown Prince, Shama said.
Replying to another question, the state minister said that more than 24 Bangladeshis are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Riyadh, several of them in intensive care, amid the ongoing conflict in Saudi Arabia.
“So far, two Bangladeshis have been killed, while more than 24 are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Riyadh. Several of them are in intensive care units,” she said.
Calling for an immediate end to the escalating conflict, Shama said the mounting civilian casualties and destruction of families were a matter of grave concern.

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