NEW DELHI: Bangladesh on Thursday formally ruled out Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s participation in the BRICS Summit in New Delhi this weekend, saying the invitation extended to him was in his capacity as chair of BIMSTEC and not as Bangladesh’s prime minister.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said Dhaka had not received an invitation for Rahman to attend the summit in his capacity as 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 told reporters.
India has invited Rahman to the summit as chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), the seven-nation regional grouping currently chaired by Bangladesh. A separate bilateral invitation for Rahman to visit India has been pending since February.
Kabir indicated that Dhaka wants Rahman’s first India visit to be framed primarily around the bilateral relationship rather than a multilateral gathering.
“We are placing greater emphasis on bilateral visits and discussions,” he said, adding that there was no need to “rush” the visit.
“When the environment is favourable, and mutual respect is maintained, bilateral visits will take place,” Kabir said, signalling that Dhaka remains open to bilateral engagement with New Delhi when circumstances are considered appropriate.
The issue assumes significance as India and Bangladesh navigate a relationship marked by both deep economic and geographic interdependence and a series of unresolved issues.
One of the most immediate is the 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, which expires in December after 30 years.
Kabir said Dhaka would approach matters involving its national interests with “full gravity and efficiency.”
