Amid speculations of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rehman’s potential visit to India, his Foreign Affairs Advisor Humayun Kabir has said that Dhaka may consider joining the Pakistan-led Mecca Pact, a move that could further deteriorate the already strained India-Bangladesh relations.
Will Bangladesh join the Mecca Pact?
In an interview on Thursday, Kabir said Bangladesh may choose to join the NATO-style mutual defense agreement with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey “keeping in mind its interests and the changes taking place in the global economy and trade.”
On Dhaka strengthening its ties with Islamabad, particularly in trade and people-to-people contacts, Humayun Kabir described this as normal diplomatic engagement, but noted that Bangladesh’s relations with China have reached “new heights”.
According to the foreign affairs adviser, Bangladesh seeks to deepen ties with China while avoiding geopolitical pressure, pointing to the “two plus two” mechanism and comprehensive partnership between Dhaka and Beijing.
Earlier, Turkey joined a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on August 7 in Mecca. Under the NATO-style agreement, dubbed the Mecca Pact, an attack on one country will be considered as an assault on all, requiring the others to launch a retaliatory response on behalf of the attacked partner.
What did Kabir say about PM Rahman’s India visit?
Meanwhile, Humayun Kabir also ruled any bilateral visit to Indian by Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman, saying now is “not the right time” as Bangladesh has adopted a policy of not rushing into such a high-level visit without clearly defined national interests.
“The possibility of the Prime Minister visiting India ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit remains slim unless an appropriate environment is created based on consensus between the two countries on specific issues and a dignified invitation,” Kabir said in an interview with the Bangladesh Sangbad Sanstha.
However, he said that Dhaka may consider participating in the BRICS Summit, provided a consensual and “appropriate environment” is created. “If an appropriate environment is created in the meantime on the basis of consensus between the two countries, Dhaka will express a positive attitude towards participation in the upcoming BRICS Summit.”
Why Bangladesh PM’s India visit plans were cancelled?
The senior diplomat criticised New Delhi for allowing deposed former PM Sheikh Hasina to carry out political activities from Indian territory, saying that these acts have millions of Bangladeshis, arguing that India cannot justify them under international diplomatic norms or simply citing freedom of expression.
“The neighboring country should understand the reality of the July (2024) uprising in Bangladesh, which resulted in the sacrifice of more than 1,500 people,” Kabir said, adding that Dhaka seeks to clearly understand what kind of relationship New Delhi wants with the new Bangladeshi government.
Kabir’s remarks come after plans for PM Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India were scrapped due to uproar in Bangladesh over Hasina addressing the press at an event organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia in New Delhi on August 5.
The incident sparked uproar in Bangladesh, though New Delhi has clarified that the Indian government was not involved in any shape or form, and that it did not endorse the views expressed at the event.
