Bangladesh has expressed interest in joining the Mecca pact, a mutual defense treaty between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, the country's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Monday.
Speaking to local media Monday, the state minister said it would not be unusual for Dhaka to join a group of like-minded Islamic countries although no formal proposal has yet to be made.
"We are expressing interest in the Mecca defense pact ... Bangladesh is a country of recognition now and there is an interest," Kobir said, according to leading Bangladeshi daily, Prothom Alo.
“Those who are stakeholders in the Middle East and in the Muslim world – they are inviting Bangladesh’s leadership ... to come and participate," he added.
Humaiun underlined Mecca's importance for Muslim-majority Bangladesh, saying that it was in the hearts of its people.
"If there is a security pact among Islamic nations, it's not unnatural for us to be a part of it. Let's see. We're looking at it positively," he said.
Oil-rich Saudi Arabia, nuclear power Pakistan and Türkiye, which has NATO's second-largest military, signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Aug. 7.
The mutual defense treaty is aimed at increasing cooperation and deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has already said that the agreement would not be limited to the trio and they would welcome other countries.
"Indeed, our vision is not limited to three countries. We want it to expand further and, if possible, one day bring all countries in the region under this framework," he said in an interview on Aug 12.
"This would be one of the most important steps toward achieving lasting regional stability," said Erdoğan.
