Dhaka-Riyadh defence deal likely today

The Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia defence deal, to be signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ongoing visit to the country, would further strengthen military ties and strategic partnership between Dhaka and Riyadh, diplomatic sources said.

The deal is expected to be signed following talks between Hasina and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at Erga Royal Palace in Riyadh today.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation, the militaries of the two countries would enhance their cooperation in a structured way, said the sources.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have stepped up defence cooperation in the last few years. The country joined the Saudi-led 41-nation Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in December 2015. Bangladesh is one of the founding members of the alliance.

An 18-member team of Bangladesh Armed Forces took part in the month-long joint military exercise “Gulf Shield -1” in April. It was for the first time that Bangladesh Armed Forces participated in the exercise, attended by 22 other countries. The Bangladesh PM was present at the concluding ceremony of the joint exercise.

Hasina arrived in Riyadh last evening (Saudi time) on a four-day official visit to Saudi Arabia. It is her fourth visit to KSA in less than three years' time.

Diplomatic sources said both Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia showed interest in developing defence ties, but Dhaka had no intention to get involved in any war.

They said the Bangladesh PM during her past visits to the kingdom had assured the Saudi king of considering sending troops to Saudi Arabia only if the UN Security Council approved it.