Bangladesh positive about joining Mecca Pact if proposal comes: Foreign Minister

Bangladesh's position on joining the Mecca Pact depends on a proposal from member countries. If a proposal is received, Bangladesh will consider the matter positively, said Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman.

He made the remarks in response to a supplementary question from independent MP Rumeen Farhana in the National Parliament on Thursday. The parliament session began in the afternoon with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed in the chair.

Rumeen Farhana wanted to know what benefits Bangladesh would get if it joined the Mecca Pact, signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan on August 7, and whether Bangladesh would join it.

In response, the Foreign Minister said the Mecca Pact was signed among three countries and Bangladesh views it positively. However, the matter of joining or not joining has not yet come up. It depends on the intention of the member countries of the pact.

"If they express an intention to include Bangladesh in the pact, then we will certainly consider it positively," he said.

Noting that the time has not yet come to discuss the pros and cons of the Mecca Pact, Dr Khalilur Rahman said Bangladesh would decide after considering all aspects.

He further said if the pact becomes broader, it will serve as a self-defence mechanism for the global Muslim community. "It is our family. It is an internal matter of the Muslim family. There is no need for others to be concerned about it," he said.