Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is unlikely to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in New Delhi after Bangladesh's foreign affairs minister Humaiyun Kobir said the prime minister had not been invited to the meeting. Kobir said the invitation had instead been extended to the chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), indicating that Bangladesh's participation would be represented through the regional grouping rather than its prime minister.

Kobir's remarks effectively ruled out expectations of a visit by Rahman to India for the BRICS summit. The statement comes as attention builds around the participation of leaders and representatives at the summit, with New Delhi preparing to host the gathering. Bangladesh's foreign policy establishment has indicated that the invitation was directed to the BIMSTEC chair, rather than specifically to the country's prime minister. As a result, Rahman is not expected to travel to Delhi for the BRICS meeting unless there is a subsequent change in the invitation or participation arrangements.

The development is significant for India-Bangladesh relations, particularly because the two neighbouring countries have extensive economic, security and regional ties. Bangladesh is a key member of BIMSTEC, a regional organisation that brings together countries around the Bay of Bengal. The grouping includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand and focuses on cooperation in areas such as trade, connectivity, security, energy and technology. The BIMSTEC chair's participation at a BRICS gathering would therefore provide an avenue for the regional bloc to be represented at the summit.

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BRICS has expanded beyond its original grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and has sought greater engagement with countries from different regions. India has been working to strengthen its engagement with emerging economies and regional organisations through multilateral platforms. Against this backdrop, the decision to invite the BIMSTEC chair rather than Bangladesh's prime minister places the emphasis on regional representation. Kobir's comments suggest that Dhaka does not currently have plans for Rahman to attend the Delhi summit.

Rahman's absence would also mean that there is no immediate prospect of a bilateral meeting with Indian leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Such meetings can provide opportunities for neighbouring countries to discuss issues involving trade, connectivity, border management and broader regional cooperation. However, the reported absence of an invitation means any India-Bangladesh engagement during the summit would depend on the participation of other Bangladeshi representatives or the BIMSTEC chair.

For now, Bangladesh's participation at the BRICS summit is expected to take place through the BIMSTEC framework rather than through a visit by Rahman. Kobir's statement has clarified Dhaka's position and ruled out, at least at this stage, speculation about the Bangladesh prime minister travelling to New Delhi for the gathering. The development comes at a time when regional groupings such as BIMSTEC are gaining importance in India's wider neighbourhood and multilateral diplomacy, making the nature of Bangladesh's representation at the summit a closely watched aspect of the event.

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