New Delhi: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is unlikely to travel to India for the BRICS Summit after Foreign Affairs Minister Humayun Kobir said Dhaka had not received an invitation for him to attend the meeting.
According to Bangladeshi news outlet The Daily Star, Kobir said the invitation had been issued to the chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), rather than to the Bangladesh prime minister.
“How shall we go? Has anyone from the Bangladesh government been invited? Our prime minister was not invited. Who told you that our Prime Minister was invited? The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Chair was invited,” Kobir was quoted as saying.
India, which is hosting the BRICS summit, has invited Rahman to participate in the outreach session as the current chair of BIMSTEC, news agency PTI reported. The regional grouping consists of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Kobir said Dhaka was instead looking to schedule a separate bilateral visit by Rahman to India once the “timing is conducive”. The Bangladesh prime minister had earlier been expected to make a three-day official visit beginning August 23, but the trip was postponed.
‘No Confirmation From Dhaka’
The Bangladesh minister’s comments came days after India said it had received no confirmation regarding Rahman’s participation in the BRICS outreach programme.
Addressing reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said there was no new information to share on whether the Bangladesh prime minister would attend the summit.
The uncertainty over Rahman’s participation comes against the backdrop of strained ties between New Delhi and Dhaka. Relations deteriorated after India granted political asylum to former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after being removed from office during a youth-led uprising in August 2024.
BRICS Summit In Delhi
The BRICS Summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. India is scheduled to host several international leaders, including the presidents of Russia and Iran.
BRICS was initially formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined the grouping in 2024, while Indonesia became a member in 2025.