Intro: India invited Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman to the BRICS summit, but Dhaka has not yet confirmed his travel
Dhaka
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has declined to comment on whether Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will attend the BRICS Summit’s outreach session in New Delhi, leaving uncertainty over Dhaka’s participation in the India-hosted event.
India has invited Tarique Rahman to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The invitation was extended in view of Bangladesh’s role as the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
Khalilur Rahman was asked about the Prime Minister’s possible visit during a media interaction. However, he avoided giving a clear response, saying that he was addressing the briefing in his capacity as President of the United Nations General Assembly. He suggested that questions concerning bilateral matters should be raised with him separately in his capacity as Bangladesh’s foreign minister.
The lack of confirmation comes amid efforts to strengthen engagement between India and Bangladesh. India has invited Tarique Rahman to the BRICS outreach programme, but Dhaka has so far not officially confirmed whether he will travel to New Delhi for the summit. Bangladesh’s participation is therefore being closely watched in diplomatic circles.
The BRICS summit will bring together leaders of member and partner countries for discussions on global cooperation and development. Tarique Rahman’s participation, if confirmed, would provide an opportunity for direct engagement with Indian leadership and other participating heads of government. As of September 9, however, Bangladesh has not announced a final decision on his attendance.