Sheikh Hasina criticized Tarique Rahman's decision not to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi last month. This article details the reasons given by Hasina for her criticism, the invitations Bangladesh received from India for the summit, and the potential benefits that Bangladesh could have gained had it participated.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s decision not to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi last month was ‘immature’ and did not serve Bangladesh's national interest, according to former PM Sheikh Hasina in an interview with PTI on Wednesday. Hasina, who has been in Delhi since the collapse of her government in August 2024 following massive student-led protests, added that it was ‘deeply unfortunate’ if her presence was the reason behind Rahman skipping the summit. She stated that ‘short-term political calculations are inherently counterproductive’.
On September 10, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir had said that Dhaka would not send a government representative to the BRICS Summit as Rahman was ‘not invited’ to the meeting. However, Bangladesh had received two invitations from India. One from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral visit, while the other for Rahman in his capacity as chairperson of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to attend the BRICS summit which was held on September 12 and 13. Bangladesh assumed the chairmanship of BIMSTEC in April 2025 for a two-year term.
Hasina also said that India was Bangladesh’s ‘closest neighbour and an important historic partner’. She further stated that had Bangladesh participated in the BRICS summit, it could have gained valuable experience and opened new opportunities for its own economic and social development. This is because the BRICS grouping comprises India, Brazil, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
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