Tarique Rahman got India visit invite, Brics invitation is for Bimstec chair: Bangladesh FM

Bangladesh has not yet decided whether Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will travel to New Delhi for the Brics summit on September 12-13, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said on Monday, as questions continue over Dhaka’s participation in the high-profile meeting.

Khalil made the remarks after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat. He said Dhaka had received two separate invitations from India — one for a bilateral visit by the Bangladeshi prime minister and another for the Bimstec chairperson to attend the Brics summit.

The foreign minister stressed that the two invitations should not be treated as the same. The Brics invitation, he said, was addressed to Bangladesh in its capacity as the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), rather than personally to Tarique.

Two separate invitations from India

“First of all, I am not an astrologer. So, I cannot predict on which exact day it will happen,” Khalil said when asked about the timing of Tarique’s possible India visit.

He said the Bimstec invitation was addressed to the chairperson of the regional grouping. Bangladesh currently holds the Bimstec chairmanship, with the organisation’s secretariat located in Dhaka.

The clarification comes amid a debate over whether the Brics invitation should be viewed as a fresh personal invitation to Tarique. Bangladesh has already received an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bilateral visit, but Tarique has not yet travelled to India.

Other leaders have also been invited to the Brics summit in their capacity as chairs of regional organisations. The Philippines, for instance, has been invited as chair of Asean, while Bahrain has been invited in its capacity as chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Burundi has similarly been invited as chair of the African Union.

Hasina extradition also discussed

Khalil said the meeting between Trivedi and Tarique was largely a courtesy call, but several bilateral issues were discussed.

One of the key issues was Bangladesh’s request for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India.

Bangladesh has urged New Delhi to expedite her extradition, Khalil said, adding that Dhaka hoped India would respond positively.

The two sides also discussed the return of suspects wanted in connection with the killing of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. Khalil said Bangladesh had already handed over documents sought by India and urged New Delhi to extradite the suspects.

India says dialogue can resolve problems

The meeting came a day after Trivedi said that direct talks between the leaders of India and Bangladesh could help resolve outstanding bilateral issues.

Speaking to journalists after inaugurating a children’s playing area at the Indian Visa Application Centre in Dhaka on August 10, Trivedi said a meeting between the two prime ministers could help address problems between the neighbours.

“I think if the two leaders meet, a lot of problems can be solved,” he said, stressing that dialogue was the way to resolve disputes.

Trivedi also struck a positive note on bilateral ties, saying there was “nothing negative” and expressing confidence that solutions could be found through engagement between the two countries.