Dhaka, Aug. 31 -- Bangladesh can benefit from joining the "Mecca Pact" if it proceeds with effective diplomatic preparation and political consensus, said international relations expert Prof Shahab Enam Khan, stressing that Bangladesh needs to carefully assess the regional, diplomatic and strategic implications of joining the pact.

"...if we do it with effective diplomatic preparation, with political consensus, it would definitely be good for Bangladesh," said Prof Khan, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, at a discussion in the city on Monday.

Speaking at a roundtable titled "Joining the Mecca Pact: Sustaining Bangladesh's Options," Prof Khan said Bangladesh faces its own security challenges in the Bay ...