Bangladesh to sign military pact with Saudi Arabia; 1800 troops to deploy to Yemen

[Varun]

Four Bangladesh military officials to join Saudi-led Islamic counter terrorism coalition


Bangladesh will sign a defence deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on February 14, in an effort to enhance military cooperation between the two countries.

Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed made the announcement while visiting the newly-constructed Bangladesh Mission in Riyadh on Sunday, according to a statement released by the Bangladesh Embassy in Saudi Arabia yesterday.

Some 1,800 Bangladeshi troops will be deployed in Saudi Arabia to defuse and remove mines along the borders of war-torn Yemen once the deal is signed, the embassy said, adding that this is to take “military cooperation between the two countries to new heights.”

Gen Aziz also met with Saudi Chief of Joint Forces Fayiadh Bin Ha’med Al-Rowaily, the same day, and discussed various issues of mutual interest, according to an ISPR press release.

Bangladesh is already a member of Saudi Arabia-led 41-state Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) to combat terrorism, which was formed in 2015.

During the meeting with CJF Faiyadh, Gen Aziz also named four military officials including a brigadier general, who will be joining Saudi’s Islamic military coalition.

Though the Islamic kingdom claims the coalition was formed “to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organizations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorize the innocent,” critics say Saudi Arabia formed this league to counter growing Iran’s influence in the Arabian peninsula and the Middle East region in general.

Shia Iran is at odds with Sunni Saudi Arabia for influence in the Arab world for decades and proxy conflicts between the two regional powers rage from Syria to Yemen in recent years.

Last year, for the first time in Bangladesh Armed Force’s history, an 18-member Bangladesh Army delegation took part in the much-hyped joint military exercise named Gulf Shield -1, hosted by the Kingdom.

Apart from Bangladesh and the host Saudi Arabia, 19 other countries have participated in the exercise with a view to increase more military coordination.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the concluding ceremony of the exercise on an invitation by King Salman.

During Gen Aziz’s meeting with Al-Ruwaili, the two military officials discussed bilateral issues. Also, Bangladesh discussed sending military engineers to construct military and civilian construction works in Saudi Arabia.

“There is excellent bilateral relationship between the two countries,” Gen Aziz said, hoping that the ties will be stronger in the future.

https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangla...04/bangladesh-ksa-to-sign-defence-deal-feb-14

Not sure how Bangladesh got suckered into this one - when Pakistan negotiated their way out of any Yemen business.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Saudis have said to Bangladesh, come and die for us in our immoral war on Yemen and we will reward you with engineering contracts. Bangladesh said ok.

 

[TM Riddle]

Expected better from Hasina. There's practically a genocide going on in Yemen.

 

[Napa]

Expected better from Hasina. There's practically a genocide going on in Yemen.

Ditto.

SA has hi-tech planes that can bomb the Houthis, but do not want to commit their ground troops as that would be more of a fair fight. Hence they are importing Bangladeshis, just like they import South Asians to do all the hard labor.

 

[PakLFC]

Stupid decision for sure. Now the Yemeni will see Bangladeshis as enemies as well possibly making trouble there. One decision Pak got right was keep out of Arab wars. So thousands of Bangladeshi soldiers will be going to Yemen to kill malnourished and hungry people! "I am not gonna do it general no matter what you say!!!".

 

[Napa]

Not sure how Bangladesh got suckered into this one - when Pakistan negotiated their way out of any Yemen business.

Like all major decisions, I am sure this one too has been done with domestic political calculations. Maybe this is Hasina's attempt to placate the fundamentalist Sunni Muslims (who all over the world love the Saudis) and show that she can follow a foreign policy independent of India. The Army officers probably have been promised generous salaries to get them on board.

 

[sshakir411]

Saudi wouldn’t be Saudi without the Bengladeshis. They play a huge part and probably are the largest foreign workforce in the country.

 

[RickyG]

Is that an upgrade or downgrade from dying trying to build the Qataris football stadiums?

Would you rather die while trying to kill innocent, impoverished and starving people or would you rather die from exhaustion and dehydration after being overworked?

 

[Gabbar Singh]

What a shameful and crazy decision.

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

And yet again the Bengalis don't fail to disappoint us.

Are we gonna stop pretending to be surprised by this?

 

[Madplayer]

Like all major decisions, I am sure this one too has been done with domestic political calculations. Maybe this is Hasina's attempt to placate the fundamentalist Sunni Muslims (who all over the world love the Saudis) and show that she can follow a foreign policy independent of India. The Army officers probably have been promised generous salaries to get them on board.

Sunni muslims love Saudi? Thats news for me.

 

[JaDed]

Sunni muslims love Saudi? Thats news for me.

Sorry to say but yes majority do, see one news or post against them in FB and many Indian Muslims defend them like its their country, which is their choice and they should be allowed to do so..many of my friends from TN do as well,they used to talk abt humility of Saudi King(one before this) .

 

[Pakistanian]

Like all major decisions, I am sure this one too has been done with domestic political calculations. Maybe this is Hasina's attempt to placate the fundamentalist Sunni Muslims (who all over the world love the Saudis) and show that she can follow a foreign policy independent of India. The Army officers probably have been promised generous salaries to get them on board.

or just maybe cause KSA has a lot more to offer to Bangladesh than India - financial aid, jobs etc

 

[Pakistanian]

Sorry to say but yes majority do, see one news or post against them in FB and many Indian Muslims defend them like its their country, which is their choice and they should be allowed to do so..many of my friends from TN do as well,they used to talk abt humility of Saudi King(one before this) .

So your facebook feed and some Indian Muslims is now a valid source to judge all Sunnis around the world? All I can say as American Muslim is that the Gulf Arab countries are criticised a lot by most Sunnis over here and educated Sunnis from other countries, MBS is one of the most controversial figures in the Sunni Muslim world.

 

[Greenstorm]

Sorry to say but yes majority do, see one news or post against them in FB and many Indian Muslims defend them like its their country, which is their choice and they should be allowed to do so..many of my friends from TN do as well,they used to talk abt humility of Saudi King(one before this) .

It depends on the sub-sect of Sunni Muslims. The biggest Sunni sub-sect of Pakistan(barelvis) are very critical of wahhabis, it is not that simple.

 

[Napa]

Sunni muslims love Saudi? Thats news for me.

To be precise, the many Sunni Mullahs around the world who the Saudis finance love them.

 

[Napa]

or just maybe cause KSA has a lot more to offer to Bangladesh than India - financial aid, jobs etc

I didn't realize India was competing with SA for the services of Bangladeshi troops.

 

[Madplayer]

Sorry to say but yes majority do, see one news or post against them in FB and many Indian Muslims defend them like its their country, which is their choice and they should be allowed to do so..many of my friends from TN do as well,they used to talk abt humility of Saudi King(one before this) .

I think you are not understanding the nuances here.

Sunnis generally see an attack on Saudi as an attack on muslims because of the two holy sites which are in Saudi. I have not seen many Sunnis who think highly of Saudi Monarchy. Only wahabis (understand the distinction) think highly of them and even some of them arent big fans of Saudis.

And even regardless of that, muslims in general have the tendency to attempt to defend an attack on other muslims from anywhere. As an experiment you can tell any muslim that Turkey is a bad country compared to USA and you will see their reaction.

 

[Madplayer]

It depends on the sub-sect of Sunni Muslims. The biggest Sunni sub-sect of Pakistan(barelvis) are very critical of wahhabis, it is not that simple.

Ahlus sunnah wal jamaat (all 4 schools of thoughts) in general is critical of Saudis and Wahabis. To use Wahabis as some representatives of Sunnis is wrong because they are a miniscule minority compared to the bigger body of muslims.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Sorry to say but yes majority do, see one news or post against them in FB and many Indian Muslims defend them like its their country, which is their choice and they should be allowed to do so..many of my friends from TN do as well,they used to talk abt humility of Saudi King(one before this) .

Haha hopeless creatures.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

And yet again the Bengalis don't fail to disappoint us.

Are we gonna stop pretending to be surprised by this?

Not a fan of Bengalis?

 

[Gabbar Singh]

/\/\/\/\

*all 275 million of them.

 

[Hadi Rizvi]

Not a fan of Bengalis?

You trying to add fuel to the fire? I'm obviously talking about their elected representatives.

 

[topspin]

Not a fan of Bengalis?

They are known for scamming pilgrims since many of them are a part of Hajj networks for travel and accommodation.

 

[saeedhk]

Cannon fodder.

 

[JaDed]

I think you are not understanding the nuances here.

Sunnis generally see an attack on Saudi as an attack on muslims because of the two holy sites which are in Saudi. I have not seen many Sunnis who think highly of Saudi Monarchy. Only wahabis (understand the distinction) think highly of them and even some of them arent big fans of Saudis.

And even regardless of that, muslims in general have the tendency to attempt to defend an attack on other muslims from anywhere. As an experiment you can tell any muslim that Turkey is a bad country compared to USA and you will see their reaction.

Yes , at last para that's exactly what Im saying.. so how is that not defending, so are you saying that internally what Muslims tell to each other is actual opinion?

 

[JaDed]

It depends on the sub-sect of Sunni Muslims. The biggest Sunni sub-sect of Pakistan(barelvis) are very critical of wahhabis, it is not that simple.

You are right, and shouldn't be clubbed also it could be just a defensive reaction.