Bangladesh could join Mecca pact, official suggests

Bangladesh may be joining the defence agreement signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan earlier this month. Bangladeshi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir told reporters on Monday that his country has been invited to participate in what has become known as the Mecca pact, but did not say who extended the invitation. Reuters news agency, however, cited an unnamed source saying Riyadh had reached out to Dhaka. "If there is a security arrangement among Islamic nations in the Middle East, it is not unusual for us to consider participating. It is being viewed positively," Kabir said. The agreement stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three countries shall be regarded as an attack against all three, in a formula approaching the collective defence logic of major military alliances like Nato. Read more: Bangladesh could join Mecca pact, official suggests