Tarique Rahman May Skip India’s BRICS Summit As Sheikh Hasina Casts Shadow Over Ties

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to India remains uncertain, with Dhaka yet to decide whether he will attend the BRICS outreach summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The uncertainty comes amid renewed tensions over former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s presence in India.

Rahman has already visited Malaysia and China since taking office in February. During his June China visit, he met President Xi Jinping in Beijing. India has invited him separately for a bilateral visit and to attend the BRICS outreach session.

Bangladesh is not a BRICS member but currently chairs BIMSTEC, the seven nation regional grouping. Dhaka has not confirmed whether Rahman will attend the summit. Prothom Alo, citing senior government sources, reported that the possibility had “effectively disappeared” following recent developments involving Hasina.

The tensions escalated after Hasina delivered her first public address in two years from New Delhi on August 5. She said she planned to return to Bangladesh in December and spoke of restoring democracy.

Dhaka reacted strongly, accusing Hasina of using Indian soil for political activity and repeatedly demanding her extradition from India. Bangladesh has also urged New Delhi not to allow her to make political statements that could destabilise the country.

India has rejected any suggestion that it backed the event. The Ministry of External Affairs said the Indian government had no role in the media interaction and did not endorse Hasina’s remarks.

The extradition issue was again raised when Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi met Rahman in Dhaka on Monday. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said Dhaka asked India to expedite Hasina’s extradition and hoped New Delhi would respond positively. The two sides also discussed the return of suspects accused of killing student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

The diplomatic engagement continued on Tuesday, when R&AW chief Parag Jain met Rahman’s defence affairs adviser, Brig Gen AKM Shamsul Islam (retd), in Dhaka.

Trivedi has said that a direct meeting between Rahman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi could help resolve bilateral problems. However, Rahman has yet to visit India since becoming prime minister, despite already travelling to Malaysia and China.

The Hasina dispute comes as India and Bangladesh attempt to reset ties after relations deteriorated during the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. Key disputes include Hasina’s extradition, border issues and Bangladesh’s growing engagement with China.

For Dhaka, Hasina’s return remains a major political demand. For New Delhi, her extradition remains a sensitive legal and diplomatic issue. Rahman’s decision on the BRICS invitation could therefore become an early test of the new government’s approach towards India.