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The government will carefully assess Bangladesh’s national interests before making any decision to join the Mecca Defense Alliance (MDA), Foreign Affairs State Minister Shama Obaid has said.
She said that, in line with Bangladesh’s foreign policy, the government would give serious consideration to how any decision to participate in a multilateral initiative would benefit the people of Bangladesh.
The state minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a meeting with visiting Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretary General Anda Filip at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday (September 1).
Asked about Bangladesh’s possible participation in the Mecca Defense Alliance, Shama Obaid said Bangladesh had not yet received any formal invitation in this regard. However, if a proposal is made in the future, it will be reviewed carefully before a decision is taken.
“Bangladesh’s interests will be given priority in making such a decision,” she said.
She added that, based on the country’s current foreign policy, Bangladesh would thoroughly examine any multilateral initiative before deciding whether to join it. The government would also consider what benefits the initiative could bring to the people of Bangladesh.
She said the decision would take some time and that Bangladesh would announce its position only after completing the necessary review.
Regarding her meeting with IPU Secretary General Anda Filip, Shama Obaid described it as highly productive. She said the IPU is an international parliamentary organization with 93 member countries, and Bangladesh is an important member of the global parliamentary forum.
She said Bangladesh is once again moving forward on the path of parliamentary democracy and that the country’s current political and democratic situation is being closely observed by the IPU secretary general.
Anda Filip has met with lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties and held discussions with women members of parliament. She also visited the July Museum during her stay in Bangladesh.
According to Shama Obaid, the IPU secretary general has viewed positively the return of democracy to Bangladesh after a long period and the fact that parliamentary democracy is now functioning and becoming stronger. She particularly welcomed the presence of new and relatively young lawmakers in the current parliament.
The meeting also discussed ways to increase engagement between Bangladeshi lawmakers and parliamentarians from other countries, the state minister said.
She said the IPU has various programs focused on capacity building and training to enhance the skills and capabilities of lawmakers. The organization also conducts a range of programs in Geneva.
The meeting discussed how Bangladeshi lawmakers could participate more actively in these programs and become more closely involved in international parliamentary activities, she added.
