Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is unlikely to attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, with his government drawing a sharp distinction over India’s invitation.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Rahman was not personally invited as Bangladesh’s prime minister and that the invitation was instead extended to the current chair of BIMSTEC.
Earlier Bangladeshi government statements had confirmed receiving an invitation for Rahman. “How shall we go? Has anyone from the Bangladesh government been invited? Our prime minister was not invited. The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Chair was invited,” Kobir was quoted as saying by Bangladeshi news outlet The Daily Star. In contrast, later statements stressed that the BRICS outreach invitation was addressed to the BIMSTEC chair rather than personally to the Bangladesh prime minister. A possible visit in August did not go ahead as discussions between New Delhi and Dhaka continued. The two governments have kept diplomatic channels open, but Tarique Rahman has yet to make an official bilateral visit to India since becoming prime minister.
Kobir questioned how Rahman could attend the September 12-13 summit when, according to Dhaka’s interpretation, no invitation had been issued to him in his capacity as Bangladesh’s head of government. Several issues have complicated the relationship since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh for India following her removal from power in August 2024.
Who told you that our Prime Minister was invited? Kobir said Bangladesh was still working towards a bilateral visit by Rahman when the “timing is conducive. Dhaka has sought her extradition, while India has said the request is under examination.
