DHAKA: The New Year will start for foreign minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali with a four-day tour to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

From this tour of the minister, Bangladesh is going to get a clearer concept about the working policy of the recently formed Saudi-led military alliance of 34 countries against terrorism.

Moreover, another prime objective of this visit is to strengthen the bonding between the leading Muslim countries.

This information has been confirmed by the ministry sources.

According the sources, the foreign minister is heading for KSA on January 5, 2016.

The people concerned have opined that the tour would be strategically important for Bangladesh’s foreign policy.

The related sources have also informed that the foreign minister is going to get a clear picture about the role of the member countries of the anti-terror alliance.

Other than that, the FM will hold meetings on bilateral issues aiming to boost the existing relations.

However, KSA is known as the leader of the Muslim world. Bangladesh has supported KSA in fighting the anti-government protestors in Yemen. Moreover, it has encouraged KSA in joining the race of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) temporary membership.

Especially, Bangladesh responded quickly in joining the newly formed anti-terrorism military alliance of 34 countries. Although activities of this alliance and the role of Bangladesh in it still has remained unclear.
 
State foreign minister Shahriar Alam has told banglanews, ‘Bangladesh has decided to stay in the alliance based on the given initial information. But the ambiguity or confusion in this regard will be clear after the meeting with the alliance leader’.

‘Government has only expressed its position after getting the initial information from KSA. The core of the alliance has only been announced. Lots are yet to be done. Everything will be clear after the first meeting.’

Previously in 2013, Bangladesh encouraged KSA to join in UNSC for 2014/15 tenure. Though it had been elected as member, KSA refused to join the council demanding its reformation.

This year, some Sunni majority countries led-by Saudi Arabia have conducted military operations in Yemen to repress Shia rebels. The operation is still going on. Although human rights violation issues have been raised worldwide against the operations, but Bangladesh is tight-lipped on the issue.

Bangladesh has supported the Yemen government against the Huthi rebels and expressed moral support on KSA’s military action against the rebels.

Bangladesh has also been criticized for supporting KSA blindly on this matter.

BDST: 1334 HRS, DEC 28, 2015.
AIK/RS/RR