DHAKA: Bangladesh has indicated that it could consider joining an economic or defence framework involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, a senior Bangladeshi official said.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir said Bangladesh viewed the possibility positively, according to Bangladeshi news agency BSC.
He said the government was pursuing a balanced foreign policy under its “Bangladesh First” approach.
The policy puts national interests at the centre of Bangladesh’s foreign relations, Kabir said.
Therefore, Dhaka would consider its national interests, changes in the global economy and shifts in international trade before making any decision, he added.
Meanwhile, Kabir said Bangladesh was strengthening practical bilateral ties with Pakistan as part of normal diplomatic engagement.
He said the two countries were also working to expand trade and people-to-people contacts.
According to Bangladeshi media, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to visit Saudi Arabia soon at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
The development comes after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed a joint defence agreement in Makkah earlier this month.
The agreement was signed during a joint defence summit attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Under the agreement, the three countries pledged to strengthen defence cooperation and enhance collective security.
The pact also calls for promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond.
Importantly, the agreement states that an attack on one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all three.
A day after the signing, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the agreement was technically similar to the mutual defence arrangement under Article 5 of the NATO treaty.
However, he stressed that the pact was not directed against Iran or any other country.
Bangladesh’s latest statement could therefore signal growing interest in closer defence and strategic cooperation with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. However, Dhaka has not announced a formal decision to join the framework.
