New Delhi: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is unlikely to attend the BRICS Summit in India this weekend, with Dhaka saying that he was not “properly invited” to the meeting.
The development comes at a time when relations between India and Bangladesh remain strained. India had invited Rahman for a bilateral visit as well as to attend the BRICS Summit in his capacity as chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
However, Bangladesh has not formally accepted either invitation. Dhaka’s absence is notable as leaders representing several other regional organisations are expected to attend the summit in New Delhi.
Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said on Thursday that Rahman had not received a proper invitation. Speaking to reporters in Dhaka, he questioned how the Bangladesh prime minister could attend when, according to him, no formal invitation had been extended to the government.
Kabir also indicated that Bangladesh currently prefers to give priority to bilateral discussions with India rather than combining Rahman’s first visit to the country with a multilateral event.
“We are placing greater emphasis on bilateral visits and discussions,” he said, adding that such visits would take place when the environment was favourable and there was mutual respect between the two countries.
The issue has also become linked to Bangladesh’s demand for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since her government was removed following student-led protests in August 2024.
Dhaka has repeatedly sought Hasina’s return to Bangladesh. The issue has emerged as one of the key points of tension between the two neighbours.
Bangladesh has also suggested that preparations for Tarique Rahman’s proposed India visit were affected by a virtual news conference held by Hasina from Indian soil last month.
India and Bangladesh have traditionally shared close economic, cultural and geographical ties, with cooperation covering trade, connectivity, security and regional development. However, political developments in recent years have complicated the relationship.
Tarique Rahman’s absence from the BRICS Summit could therefore be viewed as another indication of the current diplomatic strain between New Delhi and Dhaka.
With India hosting the summit and several major global leaders arriving in New Delhi, Bangladesh’s decision is likely to attract considerable attention. The developments also underline the importance of future bilateral engagement between the two countries as both sides seek to address their differences.
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