Bangladesh sees no major risk in becoming involved in the proposed Mecca Pact among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said, arguing that Dhaka's longstanding experience in international peacekeeping would enable it to contribute to efforts to promote peace and stability in the Muslim world.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Kobir said Bangladesh was already one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations and had developed extensive expertise in maintaining peace in conflict-affected regions.
Asked about potential risks of joining the proposed security arrangement, he dismissed concerns about consequences before any formal process had 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."
Kobir's comments come amid growing discussion over the possibility of Bangladesh becoming associated with the security arrangement involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, which has been described as a mechanism for cooperation among Muslim countries.
He said the proposed pact should be seen as an opportunity rather than an arrangement that would constrain Bangladesh's foreign policy choices.
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 or crisis-driven 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 stressed that Bangladesh needed to pursue a flexible and integrated approach to foreign policy and security cooperation in response to a rapidly changing international system.
"Based on this, there is no risk involved here. We will balance our international relations."
He said Bangladesh stood for global peace and stability and would remain involved wherever those goals were central.
"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?" Kobir said, referring particularly to Saudi Arabia, which he described as the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Kobir 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.
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, Kobir 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, Kobir replied, "Yes, talks took place. Conversations were held."
