Bangladesh Rules Out Tarique Rahman’s India Trip for BRICS, Says He Was Not Invited as PM

Bangladesh on Thursday ruled out Prime Minister Tarique Rahman travelling to India this week for the BRICS Summit, claiming that he was not invited to attend in his capacity as Bangladesh’s prime minister.

India, however, has maintained that Rahman was invited to the summit’s outreach session in his role as the current chair of BIMSTEC, the seven-member regional grouping of South and Southeast Asian countries.

India, which holds the BRICS presidency this year, is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The gathering is expected to bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, along with leaders invited for the outreach programme.

Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Rahman had “not been properly invited” to the summit, PTI reported.

Kabir argued that the invitation was extended to Rahman as BIMSTEC chairman and not as Bangladesh’s 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?” Kabir said while responding to questions about Rahman’s possible attendance.

India has also extended a separate bilateral invitation to Rahman to visit the country. That invitation has been pending since February, following his appointment as prime minister.

Dhaka prioritises bilateral visit

Kabir said Dhaka was more interested in arranging Rahman’s first visit to India as a bilateral engagement rather than linking it to a multilateral summit.

“We are placing greater emphasis on bilateral visits and discussions,” he said.

Kabir added that such a visit would take place when conditions were favourable and mutual respect was maintained, stressing that there was “no need to rush”.

He said discussions were underway to identify a suitable time for Rahman to undertake a bilateral visit to India.

The minister also said Bangladesh would deal with matters affecting its national interests with seriousness. His remarks came amid the approaching expiry of the 30-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty between India and Bangladesh.

Signed in 1996, the treaty governs the sharing of Ganges waters during the dry season and is due to expire in December.

India-Bangladesh trade talks continue

On bilateral trade, Kabir said discussions between the two countries were progressing positively but there was no new development to announce at present.

India has maintained diplomatic engagement with the new Bangladeshi government. On February 17, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla travelled to Bangladesh to attend the inauguration of Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party government following the February 12 general elections.

Birla also delivered a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating Rahman on becoming prime minister and inviting him, along with his wife and only daughter, to visit India.

For now, however, Dhaka has indicated that Rahman’s first India visit is more likely to take place as a separate bilateral engagement rather than during the BRICS Summit.