Bangladesh sees no major risk in becoming involved in the proposed Mecca Pact among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir has said.
He argued that Bangladesh's longstanding experience in international peacekeeping would enable it to contribute to efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Muslim world.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Kabir said Bangladesh was already one of the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations and had developed extensive expertise in maintaining peace in conflict-affected regions.
Asked about the possible risks of joining the pact, Kabir dismissed suggestions that Bangladesh should be overly concerned about potential consequences before the process had even begun.
“What is the point of worrying about dying before you even live?” he said with a laugh.
“If we start worrying about risks before even initiating the process, that becomes a problem.”
Kabir said the proposed pact should be seen as creating new opportunities rather than restricting Bangladesh's foreign policy choices.
“This is a unique pact that has been proposed, presenting new opportunities,” he said.
He argued that cooperation with one group of countries in a particular area would not prevent Bangladesh from maintaining relations with other alliances and international partners.
“Entering into one specific sphere within today's volatile international political climate does not mean you cannot contribute to other alliances or fields. It does not restrict your scope,” he said.
The state minister said Bangladesh would need to pursue a flexible and integrated approach to foreign policy and security cooperation in response to a rapidly changing international environment.
“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.
“Based on this, there is no risk involved here. We will balance our international relations.”
He added that Bangladesh stood for global peace and stability and would participate wherever those were the primary goals.
“Maintaining peace is not a new concept for Bangladesh. We have extensive experience and expertise in this area, and we are recognised globally for it,” he said.
“If we do this all around the world, why should we not do it for our Muslim brotherhood here?” Kabir said, referring particularly to Saudi Arabia, which he described as the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
The minister said Bangladesh viewed the proposed arrangement positively and that discussions with its partners had been constructive.
“Approaching this with a positive spirit to step forward and assist with some of the challenges in the Muslim world is not a bad thing at all. Therefore, we view it positively,” he said.
Kabir's comments come amid growing discussion about the possibility of Bangladesh becoming associated with the proposed security arrangement involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.
Asked whether Bangladesh had discussed the possibility of joining the pact with Saudi and Turkish ministers on the sidelines of an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting, Kabir said formal details would be made public if and when an invitation was received.
“When a formal invitation is extended, we will certainly inform you,” he said. “We are currently holding discussions on this matter, and those discussions are progressing positively with all bilateral partners.”
Asked specifically whether talks had taken place on the sidelines of the OIC meeting, Kabir replied: “Yes, talks took place. Conversations were held.”
He described the attitude of the countries involved as “positive” and “very positive”.
The state minister said Bangladesh's role in international peacekeeping gave it a distinctive position in discussions on security cooperation.
“Bangladesh's expertise and experience are actively sought after. We are not new to this field, nor are we novices in peace operations,” he said.
“We are experts, contributing one of the largest contingents to the UN peacekeeping system.”
Kabir said Bangladesh's participation in international security operations was valued because of the country's experience and ability to contribute.
“We stand at the forefront of international ground security,” he said. “We contribute because our participation brings distinct value.”
Kabir was also asked by a journalist about questions concerning his citizenship status.
The state minister responded with a laugh and a one-word answer: “Bangladeshi!”
