Dhaka | 10 Sep 2026
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi after Dhaka said the invitation was issued to the current BIMSTEC chair rather than to Rahman in his capacity as Bangladesh’s head of government.
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir confirmed the decision while speaking to reporters on Thursday. Bangladesh will consequently have no government representative at the summit, according to the latest reports.
Dhaka clarifies BIMSTEC invitation
Bangladesh is not a BRICS member. India had invited the BIMSTEC chair to participate in an outreach session organised alongside the summit. Bangladesh currently holds the chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
Dhaka’s position is that the invitation was addressed to the head of the regional grouping and did not constitute a formal invitation to the Bangladeshi prime minister. Indian authorities had not publicly announced a change to the invitation arrangement at the time of reporting.
BIMSTEC comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The grouping promotes cooperation in areas including trade, connectivity, security, energy and economic development.
What is the BRICS outreach session?
The host country may invite non-member states and representatives of regional organisations to BRICS outreach meetings. These sessions allow participants outside the bloc to discuss development, trade, energy, food security and other international issues with BRICS leaders.
India previously brought BRICS and BIMSTEC leaders together during the 2016 summit in Goa. The 2026 BRICS Summit is scheduled for 12 and 13 September at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
Separate India visit remains under consideration
Kabir indicated that Dhaka was considering a separate bilateral visit by Rahman, but no date had been finalised. A proposed visit in August did not take place, with Bangladesh saying at the time that no final decision had been made.
India and Bangladesh have been seeking to stabilise relations amid differences over former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who has remained in India since leaving Bangladesh in 2024. Dhaka has requested her extradition, while India has said the request is under examination.
Bangladesh has also signalled that future bilateral talks should address trade, water sharing and other unresolved issues. Any visit by Rahman would be his first to India since assuming office in February 2026.
