India said Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had received two separate invitations from New Delhi, one for a bilateral visit and another to attend the BRICS Summit as chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday said the bilateral invitation was extended after Rahman assumed office, while the BRICS invitation was for him to participate in the summit’s outreach session in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair. “We had invited the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. Subsequently, he was also invited to attend the BRICS Summit in his capacity as the Chair of BIMSTEC,” Jaiswal said. “So he had received two invitations — one for a bilateral visit and the other for the BRICS Summit as well,” he added.
Tarique Rahman did not attend the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi on September 12-13. Bangladesh had earlier maintained that the invitation was extended to the BIMSTEC chair rather than to Rahman in his capacity as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister.
Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir had said, “Our prime minister was not invited. Who told you that our Prime Minister was invited? The BIMSTEC Chair was invited.”
Asked about PM Rahman’s proposed bilateral visit, Randhir Jaiswal said India had not received any further update. “On the visit of the Prime Minister, we have not heard anything. As and when we have something to update you with, we'll surely come back,” he said.
Dhaka has previously indicated that Tarique Rahman’s first visit to India should be a bilateral engagement rather than part of a multilateral summit. Officials have said discussions on a suitable date are continuing, but no date has been finalised.
The issue comes amid sensitive India-Bangladesh ties following the departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in August 2024. Dhaka has repeatedly sought her extradition, while New Delhi has said such requests will be dealt with through established processes.
