Bangladesh PM Likely to Skip BRICS Summit Over Hasina Row
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- Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman is unlikely to attend the BRICS Summit outreach session in New Delhi on September 12-13, with Dhaka-based Prothom Alo reporting the possibility has 'effectively disappeared' amid 'recent developments'
- Sheikh Hasina held a virtual press conference in New Delhi on August 5 — her first public address in two years since the 2024 student-led protests ousted her — and announced plans to return to Bangladesh in December for the 1971 Liberation War anniversary
- Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry called Hasina's event 'an affront to the sovereignty of Bangladesh,' accusing her of directing 'venomous vitriol' at the country, while Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed warned India that hosting Hasina's political activities would require 'rethinking' friendly relations
- India's Ministry of External Affairs said it had 'no role' in the media interaction and did not endorse Hasina's remarks, even as Prothom Alo reported India had assured Bangladesh only a recorded statement would be played — not the live address with international media that occurred
- Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi met Rahman on Monday for a 'courtesy call,' with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman confirming bilateral discussions touched on Hasina's extradition and the return of suspects accused of killing Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi
- Rahman has made two foreign trips since taking office in February — first to Malaysia, then to China where he met Xi Jinping in Beijing's Great Hall of the People — deliberately choosing a 'middle path' rather than the traditional first-visit choices of India, China, or Saudi Arabia
- Bangladesh is not a BRICS member but has sought membership since 2023 and currently chairs BIMSTEC, making the skipped outreach session a missed opportunity for Rahman to meet Modi, Xi, and Putin
Why it matters: A Bangladesh PM skipping the BRICS Summit he was personally invited to would mark a public snub to New Delhi's outreach, which has been extensive since ties hit a low under the Yunus interim regime. With Rahman having already visited China and not India, and Bangladesh demanding Hasina's extradition, India's reset efforts face a concrete setback — Trivedi himself acknowledged a Modi-Rahman meeting could help ease current strains, yet Dhaka left Monday's courtesy call without committing to attend.
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