Bangladesh Open to Pakistan-Saudi-Türkiye Makkah Defence Pact

Bangladesh has signalled that it would positively consider joining the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement if formally invited by its founding members, bringing fresh attention to a security framework established earlier this month by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman outlined Dhaka's position while addressing parliament on Thursday, indicating that any decision would follow an assessment of the country's interests and the potential benefits of membership.

Rahman said the question of Bangladesh joining the agreement had not yet reached the stage of a formal decision because participation would depend on whether the existing members extend an invitation. He nevertheless made clear that Dhaka would approach such an invitation favourably and would examine the proposal before determining its final position. His remarks represent one of the clearest official indications so far that Bangladesh is interested in the emerging defence arrangement.

The Bangladeshi foreign minister characterised the Makkah Pact as a collective self-defence mechanism involving Muslim countries. He presented the issue as one primarily concerning cooperation within the Muslim world and suggested that decisions about participation should be made by the countries directly involved. His comments came amid wider regional attention surrounding the scope of the agreement and the possibility that additional states could eventually seek membership.

Bangladesh's opposition also voiced support for the country's right to independently decide whether it should join the pact. Jamaat-i-Islami chief and opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman said any decision should be based on Bangladesh's national interests and requirements. His intervention indicated that the question of possible participation is gaining political attention beyond the government and could become a broader foreign-policy discussion inside Bangladesh.

Interest in the agreement had already surfaced earlier in the week. Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Dhaka was viewing the possibility positively, noting that participation in a security arrangement among Islamic countries would not be unusual. Thursday's statement by the foreign minister reinforced that position while making clear that the next formal step rests with the pact's existing members.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 during a trilateral summit in Makkah. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif joined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in signing the accord at Al-Safa Palace. The three countries said the framework was intended to strengthen collective security, expand defence cooperation and contribute to regional and international peace and stability.

For Pakistan, Bangladesh's interest could increase the diplomatic significance of an agreement in which Islamabad is a founding participant. Any expansion would potentially broaden the pact beyond its original three-member structure and strengthen Pakistan's defence and diplomatic engagement with other Muslim-majority states. However, no formal invitation to Bangladesh was reported, and there was no announcement that the current members had taken a decision on admitting additional countries.

Attention will now turn to whether Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye discuss Bangladesh's stated interest and whether a formal membership process emerges. Dhaka is expected to evaluate the strategic and political implications of participation if an invitation is extended. Until then, the Bangladeshi government's latest comments place the prospect of expanding the Makkah defence framework firmly on the regional diplomatic agenda.