Dhaka, Aug 2026 : Bangladesh is open to the possibility of joining the recently established defence framework between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior foreign ministers have said, while making it clear that any decision would be based primarily on the country’s national interests.
The trilateral defence pact, signed in Makkah on August 7, establishes a framework for collective deterrence. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three participating countries would be treated as an attack against all three.
Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kobir said Dhaka was taking a positive view of the possibility of joining an economic or defence arrangement involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye.
“Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade,” Kobir said in an interview with the Bangla service of the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
Kobir, who was appointed as the second state minister for foreign affairs on Friday, said the government was following a “Bangladesh First” policy and pursuing a balanced foreign policy centred on national interests.
He indicated that the approach could eventually lead Dhaka to consider participation in the emerging defence framework, provided such a move serves Bangladesh’s strategic and economic interests.
The minister also said Bangladesh intended to strengthen bilateral relations with Pakistan through regular diplomatic engagement. Greater cooperation in trade, economic relations and people-to-people connectivity would be among the areas of focus, he added.
Kobir further said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to visit Riyadh following an invitation from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The schedule for the visit is likely to be finalised after the summer.
Another State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed Islam, separately echoed Kobir’s position, stressing that Bangladesh’s national interest and the interests of its citizens would ultimately determine whether Dhaka joins the trilateral framework.
“Whether we join any pact or any multilateral body will be decided primarily on whether Bangladesh’s interests and the interests of the Bangladeshi people are protected,” she said while responding to questions on Bangladesh’s possible participation.
The statements by the two ministers came shortly after Finance and Planning Adviser Professor Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir described the government’s “Bangladesh First” approach as a major shift in the country’s foreign policy.
Titumir said the policy places Bangladesh’s national interests, sovereignty, mutual respect and regional harmony at the centre of its engagement with the international community.
He stressed that Dhaka would seek constructive and mutually beneficial relations with countries across the world while prioritising its own interests.
“Bangladesh First means putting Bangladesh’s interests first, but Bangladesh for all,” Titumir said.
The government’s position indicates that Dhaka is seeking greater strategic flexibility while assessing emerging regional security and economic partnerships.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
