Bangladesh is positively considering the Makkah Defence Agreement, with any decision to be guided by national interests and the potential contribution of its peacekeeping expertise to regional peace and stability, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said.
“We are having positive discussions on the Makkah Defence Agreement. We are viewing it positively,” he said at a national seminar at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
Kobir said Bangladesh could take a favourable decision if the agreement served its national interests and its peacekeeping expertise could contribute to the welfare of Muslim nations and help maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.
The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and North South University’s Center for Migration Studies jointly organised the seminar titled “From Workforce to Strategic Partnership: Reimagining Bangladesh-KSA Relations”.
The state minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had accepted an invitation from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince to visit the Kingdom. He added that the Crown Prince had also expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh, which would welcome him at a mutually convenient time.
Describing the proposed visits as signs of growing political ties, Kobir said Bangladesh was also a strong partner of Saudi Arabia in maritime security.
He called for a comprehensive economic and strategic partnership that would expand bilateral relations beyond labour migration and remittances.
“While that foundation remains important, it cannot be the ceiling of our ambition,” he said.
Kobir said Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Bangladesh’s economic transformation had created shared interests in investment, human capital, technology and connectivity. Discussions were underway on a possible investment fund to facilitate joint ventures in priority sectors, he added.
He identified renewable energy, infrastructure, ports, logistics, agriculture, fisheries, food security, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology and artificial intelligence as promising areas for Saudi investment.
The state minister said such investments required a predictable and transparent business environment, better institutional coordination and timely decision-making.
He also stressed the need to prepare more trained and certified professionals to meet the changing demands of Saudi Arabia’s labour market through stronger cooperation among training institutions, universities and industries.
Kobir said protecting the welfare, dignity and rights of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia would remain a government priority.
He also highlighted opportunities for knowledge and technology partnerships and cooperation in ports, shipping, logistics, aviation and supply chains.
“The next chapter of Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia relations should therefore be defined by value creation rather than volume alone,” he said.
Speaking to journalists after the seminar, Kobir reiterated that peace and stability in the Middle East and the Muslim world were central to Bangladesh’s consideration of the Makkah Defence Agreement.
He said Bangladesh could deploy its peacekeeping expertise more effectively and extensively worldwide, while regional peace and stability would remain the priority in any decision on participation in the agreement or association with the alliance.
The state minister also called for diversifying employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia into energy, technology and other promising sectors while sending more highly skilled professionals.
He said Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia had scope to establish a broad investment partnership based on joint investment in profitable sectors.
“The days of dependency are over. We are now placing emphasis on an equal partnership between the two countries and on sustainable policies,” he said.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer bin Abiyah attended the seminar as the guest of honour. Foreign Ministry Secretary (Bilateral) Dr Md Nazrul Islam, Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Md Mokhtar Ahmed, BIISS Director General Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman and NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury also addressed the event.
