Seminar on ‘Mecca Agreement and Bangladesh’ held in city

A seminar styled ‘Mecca Agreement and Bangladesh’ was held on Saturday morning at the Maulana Mohammad Akram Khan Auditorium of the National Press Club in Dhaka. The event was organised by the Centre for Military History.

Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, former adviser to the immediate-past interim government, was present as the chief guest. Professor Dr Abdul Latif Masum presented the keynote paper.

Major General (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar and Professor Dr S K Akram Ali attended as key discussants.

The programme brought together defence experts, academics, members of civil society, and professionals who deliberated on a wide range of issues, including various defence and security pacts, maritime security, Bangladesh’s foreign policy, the July Charter, Rohingya refugee crisis, national security and unity.

In his remarks, Sakhawat Hossain underscored the importance of the July Charter and national unity. He also discussed ongoing volatile conflicts, particularly those in Eurasia and the Middle East.

Fazle Elahi Akbar described the Mecca Pact as a golden opportunity for Bangladesh.

Prof Muhammad Ruhul Amin of the Department of International Relations at Dhaka University highlighted the geopolitical dimensions and the evolving global order.

Commodore (retd) Jasim Uddin Bhuiyan drew attention to the high level of conflict in the Bay of Bengal and stressed the necessity of submarines to safeguard maritime security.

Among others, Advocate Abu Hena Razzaki and Khomenee Ehsan also spoke on the occasion.

The seminar concluded with a call for greater national consensus on security and foreign policy issues.