Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman may not attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi after Dhaka indicated that he was not invited in his capacity as the country's prime minister. Bangladesh's foreign affairs minister Khalilur Rahman said the invitation was instead extended to the chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
“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,” Khalilur Rahman was quoted as saying by Bangladeshi news outlet The Daily Star.
India, which is hosting the BRICS summit, has said it invited Rahman to attend the summit's outreach session in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC. The invitation is separate from an earlier invitation for a bilateral visit to India.
BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan.
Dhaka has yet to formally confirm whether Rahman will attend the summit. A report published on Thursday said Bangladesh may ultimately decide not to send a representative to the two-day meeting in New Delhi.
Dhaka weighs participation amid strained India ties
Khalilur Rahman has also said that the government is working to arrange a bilateral visit to India when the “timing is conducive”. Notably, Rahman was expected to be in India for a three-day official visit from August 23. That visit was subsequently postponed. The reasons behind it, and what has filled the vacuum since, say a great deal about the current state of India-Bangladesh ties.
Earlier on Tuesday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in New Delhi that there was no update to share on any confirmation from Dhaka regarding the Bangladeshi prime minister's participation in the BRICS summit.
India had previously clarified that the BRICS invitation was extended to Rahman as the current chair of BIMSTEC, in line with the grouping's practice of inviting leaders of regional organisations to its outreach sessions. India's envoy to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, was also understood to have reiterated the invitation during a meeting with Rahman in Dhaka on August 10.
Bangladesh's remarks about the prime minister not being invited come amid strained ties with India following New Delhi's decision to provide political asylum to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after her ouster in a youth-led uprising in August 2024.
Dhaka has also sought Hasina's extradition, while India has said it is examining the request. The issue has remained a significant point of tension between the two countries.
BRICS summit to be held in Delhi on September 12-13
The BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit, with leaders from member countries and invited partner and regional groupings expected to participate.
The summit will be guided by the official theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. Discussions are expected to cover global cooperation and economic challenges, including the impact of the ongoing crisis in West Asia.
BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The grouping expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, while Indonesia joined in 2025. Saudi Arabia is also listed among the expanded BRICS members in current reporting.
The uncertainty over Rahman's participation comes as India and Bangladesh continue efforts to manage strained bilateral relations, while New Delhi seeks greater engagement with regional groupings such as BIMSTEC through its BRICS outreach.