Dhaka sees no risk in joining Mecca pact: Humaiun Kobir

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Sunday that joining the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement would pose no risk to Bangladesh or prevent it from maintaining and expanding ties with other partners.

“This is a unique pact that presents new opportunities,” he told reporters at the foreign ministry after Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah called on him.

Kobir said Bangladesh viewed the proposed pact favourably and was discussing the matter with its bilateral partners, with the talks progressing positively.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed on 7 August 2026, with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey as its initial members.

Asked about potential risks for Bangladesh, Kobir said Dhaka would pursue an integrated and flexible foreign and security policy while maintaining a balanced approach to its relations with international partners.

“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.

He said cooperation under one security arrangement would not narrow Bangladesh’s foreign policy choices or prevent it from working with other alliances and partners amid today’s volatile global environment.

“Participation in one specific area of cooperation does not mean you cannot contribute to other alliances or fields. It does not restrict your scope,” he said.

Reiterating Bangladesh’s commitment to international peace, Kobir said Dhaka would remain engaged wherever its experience and expertise could help promote peace and stability.

“Bangladesh stands for global peace and stability, and wherever peace and stability are the primary goals, Bangladesh will always be present,” he said.

Kobir recently held a series of bilateral meetings, including with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and other senior officials, during his visit to Jeddah for the OIC’s 23rd Extraordinary Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).

Asked whether the proposed pact was discussed during those meetings, Kobir said it was, adding that the response from his interlocutors was “positive, very positive”.

He said, however, that Bangladesh had yet to receive a formal invitation to join the pact.

“(But) When a formal invitation is extended, we will certainly inform you,” he said.

Earlier, during his meeting with the Saudi ambassador, Kobir called for closer and more frequent high-level engagement between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia, saying sustained exchanges were key to deepening bilateral ties and building on progress made in recent years.

The state minister and the Saudi envoy expressed satisfaction with growing cooperation between the two countries across various sectors, according to a foreign ministry press release.