Published : 31 Jul 2026, 09:40 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:29 AM
Bangladesh has been listed among the signatories to a Saudi Arabia-led maritime security coalition, Al Jazeera reports.
The alliance has been formed to protect vital trade and energy routes linking the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
The Qatari broadcaster said Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defence announced the formation of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance on Thursday to strengthen collective maritime defence cooperation.
According to the ministry, the alliance aims to protect freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, securing international trade and energy supply routes linking the Indian Ocean with the Mediterranean.
The announcement comes as tensions linked to the United States-Iran conflict have shifted towards the Strait of Hormuz, while the Bab al-Mandeb-Red Sea-Gulf of Aden route has reportedly come under repeated attacks by Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen.
The ministry said representatives from 43 of the 51 invited countries attended the meeting establishing the alliance.
According to the statement, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan and the Comoros joined Saudi Arabia as signatories.
A European Union delegation also took part.
The Bangladesh government has yet to formally announce the country's participation in the alliance.
bdnews24.com is seeking the government's response.
The Saudi ministry said the coalition remains open to additional members after they complete their national procedures.
It described maritime security as a shared responsibility requiring greater cooperation to address common and transnational threats.
The alliance will share intelligence, exchange information, coordinate operational planning, conduct joint exercises and carry out maritime operations.
The ministry said the coalition is “purely defensive and does not target any country”.
Saudi Arabia will serve as the founding member and host the alliance's headquarters, although the ministry did not disclose its location.
As per Al Jazeera, the Houthi group imposed a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia last week, disrupting oil shipments rerouted to the Red Sea.
The report said Saudi has continued exporting most of its crude through the East-West pipeline to Yanbu on the Red Sea after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, those exports must pass through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where the Houthis control Yemen's western coastline overlooking the strategic chokepoint.
The report said about 10 to 12 percent of global maritime trade, including millions of barrels of oil a day, passes through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, making it one of the world's busiest shipping corridors.
