The joint defense agreement signed by Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in Mecca on August 7 this year has not only given new hope to the Muslim world, but also somewhat expanded the scope of discussion and debate on it. Turkey has presented this new initiative called the ‘Mecca Pact’ as an alliance whose doors are open to others. According to Turkey, it would be very appropriate for Egypt to join this alliance as the second most important Arab power after Saudi Arabia. To this end, Ankara is maintaining close diplomatic contacts. As a result, a trilateral meeting has also been held on this issue. Telephone talks have been held between the ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia at the foreign ministerial level. But we can see that Egypt has deep economic relations with Israel’s ally, the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, due to the significant influence of the Emirates in Egyptian politics, it may not happen as quickly as it was thought that Egypt would join this pact quickly.
However, another surprising development is slowly unfolding as if by nature. Now we are starting to see its discussion and analysis in the global media. When Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia announced the Mecca Pact, Bangladesh was one of the countries in the Muslim world that responded most quickly.
The history of Bangladesh may not be very familiar to today’s youth. But when we were in primary and secondary schools, we read in geography books that Pakistan was a state consisting of two parts, East Pakistan and West Pakistan. During our childhood and school life, Pakistan was two separate territories of the same state. Before 1971, there was no independent state called ‘Bangladesh’. On one side was West Pakistan, on the other was East Pakistan; and in the middle was India. Then in 1971, an independent state emerged—its name was Bangladesh.
Pakistan and Bangladesh are both Muslim-majority countries, and although both states were built around the Muslim population of the Indian subcontinent, they did not develop very close relations for a long time. Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s relations with China are very good. For this reason, India, which has been in conflict with Pakistan for a long time on the Kashmir issue, did not want to see Bangladesh as another problem for itself. Therefore, India has played an important role in determining the government and political course of Bangladesh. And the Awami League government, which has been in power for a long time, has prioritized cooperation with India, ignoring national interests, instead of normal cooperation with Pakistan. Sheikh Hasina ruled Bangladesh for a long time from 2009 to 2024. As an authoritarian female politician, her rule eventually fell in the face of a movement led by the youth of Generation Z. There was widespread unrest across the country and Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh to India. Because she was a Bangladeshi leader whom India had supported and protected for a long time.
But the Bangladesh of today is not the Bangladesh of the past. Herein lies the main issue. In place of the Bangladesh that was handed over to India during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure, the new leadership of Bangladesh is moving towards new alliances for the first time, redefining its geopolitical position, and in determining this new position, it sees joining the Mecca Pact as a beginning and the center of a new journey.
Its geopolitical significance is very important. Because just as India used to be sandwiched between West Pakistan and East Pakistan, now it is as if Pakistan has been born on one side and a new Bangladesh on the other, which is no longer as loyal to them as before. This new Bangladesh is very uncomfortable for India.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is of great importance for Bangladesh’s manpower, economy and energy security. At the same time, Saudi Arabia also has deep religious significance for the Muslim majority people of Bangladesh.
Turkey has emerged as an important alternative supplier of modern defense technology to Bangladesh. Ankara has now become an important supplier of drones, armored vehicles, missiles, and other relatively affordable military equipment.
And then there is nuclear-armed Pakistan. Relations between Dhaka and Islamabad were at a standstill during Sheikh Hasina’s rule. But since Hasina’s fall in August 2024, relations between the two countries have warmed rapidly. Trade, diplomatic contacts, and military-level contacts have also expanded.
So we understand the point – in India’s view, the Mecca Pact is no longer just a separate agreement. This agreement has come to light at a time when India’s monopoly on Bangladesh has collapsed in the last two years. India was already worried for two years. And now it has even greater cause for concern.
Sheikh Hasina was India’s closest and most trusted ally in Dhaka. Her ouster did not just change a government; it removed a major pillar of India’s long-standing policy towards Bangladesh.
In the assessment of geopolitical researchers, this is also a major blow to the Israel-India strategic equation. Keeping a Muslim country under one’s influence always gives a major strategic advantage. Now that pro-India government is gone; and in its place, relations with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are becoming more visible. This is a nightmare situation from the perspective of India and Israel.
And Pakistan has returned to the diplomatic arena actively. Turkey is also playing a more prominent role. At the same time, China is an important partner of Bangladesh. China is deeply involved in Bangladesh in the defense and infrastructure sectors. China is supplying Bangladesh with military equipment including fighter jets and also plays an important role in various infrastructure projects in the country. Now, with this, Turkey is also entering Bangladesh more actively.
This new geopolitical configuration is a new challenge for the strategic axis centered on India, Israel, and of course the United States.
In fact, Bangladesh has many reasons to deepen its relations with Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Bangladesh undoubtedly has many interests here. Not all of these expectations may be realized; but I think just being a member of this pact can take Bangladesh to a completely different geopolitical position. This can happen very soon. Just being a member of the pact can open a new chapter for Bangladesh.
