Tarique Rahman’s India Visit for BRICS Summit Remains Unconfirmed as Bangladesh Stays Silent

Bangladesh has yet to confirm whether Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will travel to India to attend the BRICS Summit outreach session in New Delhi, keeping Dhaka's participation in the high-profile meeting uncertain.

India is set to host the annual BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, where leaders are expected to discuss major global issues, including the economic impact of the ongoing West Asia crisis.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman declined to confirm whether Tarique Rahman would attend the summit when questioned about the matter during a press briefing in New York. Rahman, who has also assumed the role of President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, said he was addressing the media in his capacity as the General Assembly President.

India has invited Tarique Rahman to participate in the BRICS outreach session in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

BIMSTEC includes India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and the grouping plays an important role in regional cooperation across the Bay of Bengal region.

Bangladesh's possible participation in the BRICS Summit is being closely watched amid strained relations between New Delhi and Dhaka. Relations between the two countries have remained under scrutiny after India granted political asylum to former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina following her ouster in August 2024.

India's Ministry of External Affairs has also said that there was no update regarding confirmation from Bangladesh on Tarique Rahman's participation in the BRICS Summit.

India is hosting the meeting as the current chair of BRICS. The grouping, which originally included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has expanded significantly in recent years.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined BRICS in 2024, while Indonesia became a member in 2025. The expanded grouping now brings together 11 major emerging economies and represents a significant share of the world's population, economy and global trade.

With the BRICS Summit scheduled for September 12 and 13, Bangladesh's final decision on Tarique Rahman's visit to India remains awaited. New Delhi has extended the invitation, but Dhaka has not yet publicly confirmed whether the Bangladeshi prime minister will attend the outreach session.