Bangladesh has expressed interest in joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, a security pact formed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The development was reported by Turkish state media on Tuesday.
Bangladesh’s newly appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Dhaka views the agreement positively. However, he clarified that discussions are still underway and no formal decision has been made.
Kabir said Bangladesh is receiving greater engagement from partners in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world. He added that these countries are exploring opportunities for deeper defence and economic cooperation with Dhaka.
The Bangladeshi official said joining a security agreement involving Islamic countries would not be unusual for Bangladesh. He stressed that the issue remains at the discussion stage, although the government is considering it positively.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed on August 7, 2026, by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. The agreement aims to strengthen collective security and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.
Under the pact, an armed attack against any one of the three member states will be treated as an attack against all three. The provision is similar to NATO’s collective defence principle and is intended to strengthen deterrence against aggression.
The agreement also provides for wider defence cooperation among the three countries and remains open to other regional states that accept its core principles. Bangladesh’s interest could therefore add another dimension to the emerging regional security framework, although any formal participation would require further discussions and a policy decision.
