A Turkish professor and security analysts have outlined potential benefits and risks for Bangladesh if it joins the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, initially involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. The agreement, signed by the countries’ top leaders in Mecca, has drawn global attention because of its military dimension. Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has said it views the agreement positively, but no decision has been made on joining.

Murat Aslam, a professor at Hasan Kalyonkcu University, described the arrangement as defensive rather than offensive. He said it has no specific enemy and aims to prevent conflict among members while improving their defense capabilities. Security analyst Hasib Aziz said Bangladesh could gain opportunities for joint military capacity-building, technological cooperation, AI partnerships and intelligence sharing.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman said in parliament that Bangladesh would positively consider an invitation from existing members. Bangladesh already imports Bayraktar drones and Otokar Cobra vehicles from Turkey, and this cooperation could expand. However, analysts cited South Asian geopolitics as a concern, particularly how the alliance might affect Bangladesh during any future India-Pakistan conflict.