Bangladesh is exploring the possibility of joining the newly signed military agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which has been termed as an “Islamic NATO”.
As of now, Bangladesh has not formally announced a decision to join. However, recent strains with New Delhi over issues including borders and water-sharing have prompted Dhaka to consider broader security partnerships. However, its interest signals a possible shift in Dhaka’s foreign policy, with security, remittances, energy and investment all forming part of the calculation.
Officially called the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, the military pact was signed by the three countries on August 7. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed in Saudi Arabia’s Mecca by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 7. Another strain has been the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since her ouster in August 2024 due to a student-led uprising.
Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif said at the time that he wanted the pact to expand and become something like “an Islamic NATO”, and not remain an “exclusive club”, He had called on the Islamic nations to bury their differences and come together. The pact, according to media reports, has drawn attention in Dhaka as Bangladesh looks to strengthen its defence capabilities and secure key economic interests. Pakistan’s deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also oversees the foreign ministry, described the agreement as “purely defensive” and said it remains open to other countries in the region.
Bangladesh has historically been closer to India while also trying to balance its relations with China.
Dhaka’s interest in the so-called Islamic NATO stems from there.
Since coming to power, Rahman has advocated for a “Bangladesh First” policy and has had somewhat cold ties with India. Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir said in mid-August that Dhaka had a “positive approach” towards a possible economic or defence framework involving the three countries, guided by its “Bangladesh First” policy, according to a Reuters report.
Her Awami League, seen as closer to India, remains banned in Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) came to power earlier this year with Tarique Rahman becoming the Prime Minister.
