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Bangladesh is positively considering joining the Makkah Defence Agreement, with peace and stability in the Middle East and the wider Muslim world remaining central to its decision, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters after a seminar at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Kobir said Bangladesh would assess the proposal in light of its national interests and the potential contribution of its peacekeeping expertise to regional stability.
“We are having positive discussions on the Makkah Defence Agreement. We are viewing it positively,” he said.
“If it falls within the national interests of Bangladesh and converges, and we feel that our peacekeeping expertise can add value in serving Muslim nations and keeping a stable, peaceful Middle East, then there is every scope to take a positive decision on the matter,” he added.
The state minister said maintaining peace in the region encompassing Makkah and Madinah was a key objective and that Bangladesh could make greater use of its peacekeeping experience in contributing to international peace and security.
He made the remarks at a national seminar titled “From Workforce to Strategic Partnership: Reimagining Bangladesh-KSA Relations”, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the Centre for Migration Studies of North South University.
Kobir also disclosed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had accepted an invitation from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince to visit the Kingdom.
“He has accepted and will do so at some point very soon,” he said.
The state minister added that the Crown Prince had also expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh, and Dhaka would welcome him at a mutually convenient time.
Describing the proposed visits as signs of growing political engagement, Kobir said Bangladesh was also a strong partner of Saudi Arabia in maritime security.
He called for a comprehensive economic and strategic partnership, saying bilateral relations should expand beyond their traditional emphasis on 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 opportunities for cooperation in investment, human capital, technology and connectivity.
The two countries were discussing a possible investment fund to facilitate joint ventures and partnerships in priority sectors, he added.
The state minister identified renewable energy, infrastructure, ports, logistics, agriculture, fisheries, food security, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, information technology and artificial intelligence as promising areas for Saudi investment.
He stressed that attracting investment would require a predictable and transparent business environment, stronger institutional coordination and timely decision-making.
On labour migration, Kobir called for a shift towards deploying more trained and certified professionals to meet the changing requirements of the Saudi labour market.
He urged closer cooperation among training institutions, universities and industries to ensure that skills certification matched Saudi employers’ needs.
Protecting the welfare, dignity and rights of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia would remain a government priority, he said.
Kobir also highlighted opportunities for knowledge and technology partnerships, particularly in ports, shipping, logistics, aviation and supply chains.
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 and Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Md Mokhtar Ahmed spoke as special guests.
BIISS Director General Major General A S M Ridwanur Rahman and NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury also addressed the event.
Kobir said regular high-level exchanges, including ministerial and official visits in both directions, were strengthening bilateral engagement.
He also stressed the need to diversify employment opportunities into energy, technology and other emerging sectors while sending more highly skilled professionals to Saudi Arabia.
“We are also holding very positive discussions with Saudi Arabia and, God willing, many new opportunities will emerge between the two countries,” he said.
The state minister said Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia had scope to develop a broad investment partnership based on joint investment in commercially viable 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.