State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam has said Bangladesh would extend necessary assistance to Saudi Arabia if the holy cities of Mecca and Medinah faced any security threats amid the ongoing regional conflict.
“If any threat emerges against Mecca or Medinah, Bangladesh will certainly not remain indifferent. We will extend a helping hand to protect the two holy cities,” she told journalists.
She made the remarks after attending a seminar titled “Foreign Policy of Bangladesh: Navigating Pathways in a Shifting World”, organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in Dhaka on Monday.
Asked whether Bangladesh was willing to assist Saudi Arabia in safeguarding the two holy cities, Shama said the issue carried deep religious and emotional significance for Muslims worldwide.
“For Muslims, Mecca and Medinah are not merely matters of diplomacy. They are also deeply connected to our emotions and religious sentiments,” she said.
She added that Bangladesh, as a Muslim-majority country, shared the concerns of Muslims worldwide over the security of the two holy cities.
However, Shama clarified that Bangladesh had not yet formally joined the proposed Makkah Pact.
“We have not yet joined the Makkah Pact. A decision can be considered final only when the process is formally completed,” she said.
Asked whether Bangladesh might send troops to Saudi Arabia under the proposed arrangement, she said the issue did not arise at present.
“Since Bangladesh has not joined the Makkah Pact, the question of sending troops under that arrangement does not arise at this moment,” she said.
Her remarks came against the backdrop of repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
Bangladesh has strongly condemned attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure and expressed solidarity with the Saudi government and people.
Shama said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had also sent a letter to the Saudi Crown Prince conveying Bangladesh's position.
“We want an immediate end to these attacks. We stand beside the people and government of Saudi Arabia,” she said.
The state minister reiterated Bangladesh's call for an end to hostilities, warning that continued violence was claiming innocent lives and threatening regional stability.
The BIISS seminar featured presentations by Ayesha Binte Towhid on national interest-driven foreign policy, Dr Mahfuz Kabir on economic priorities, ASM Tarek Hassan Semul on defence and security, and Dr Sufia Khanom on ideological interests in foreign policy.
BIISS Director General Major General ASM Ridwanur Rahman delivered the welcome address and chaired the session.