Rahman's India visit for BRICS looks unlikely without trust, says Dhaka

Bangladesh has signalled that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is unlikely to visit India for the BRICS Summit without a conducive bilateral climate and a dignified invitation. The remarks tie any top-level engagement to trust, consensus and India's handling of the Sheikh Hasina issue.Stock photo used for illustrationThe possibility of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visiting India next month for the BRICS Summit remains slim unless the two sides create an appropriate atmosphere based on mutual trust and New Delhi extends what Dhaka calls a dignified invitation, his Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir has said.Kobir also said Bangladesh was in no hurry to arrange a top-level visit without clearly defined national interests. His remarks come amid uncertainty over Rahman’s possible visit to India for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13 and fresh strain in ties over Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.“There is no justification for rushing into a top-level visit by going beyond the national interest,” Kobir told state-run BSS news agency in an interview published on Thursday. The interview was held on August 17. He also said, “The possibility of the Prime Minister visiting India ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit remains slim unless an appropriate environment is created based on consensus between the two countries on specific issues and a dignified invitation.”At the same time, Kobir said Bangladesh could take a positive view of participating in the BRICS Summit if an appropriate bilateral environment was created through mutual trust and consensus between the two countries. On Tuesday, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conveyed that the two leaders needed to meet and that he wanted Rahman’s proposed visit to India to be “memorable”. “Prime Minister Modi just mentioned one thing. We need to meet. And you can tell them on my behalf that you have the prime minister of India’s assurance that when the honourable prime minister of Bangladesh visits India, he will have such an honourable reception as he deserves,” he said at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commission for leading Bangladeshi business leaders and a visiting delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry.Kobir, who is also the Joint Secretary General of the ruling BNP’s International Affairs Committee, said the future of Bangladesh-India ties and any visit by Rahman would depend on a change in the Indian leadership’s approach and its understanding of political developments in Bangladesh. Referring to the youth-led protest in 2024 that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, he said India needed to “properly understand the reality” of the events and the sacrifices made during the movement. He also expressed resentment over Hasina, who fled to India after the political upheaval, being allowed to use Indian territory for political activities and media appearances. Kobir said the issue had caused anger in Bangladesh and alleged that providing political or media space to individuals facing criminal cases or convictions “is contrary to India’s democratic etiquette”.India’s Ministry of External Affairs has maintained that it had no role in the media event concerning Hasina and that it does not endorse anything said at the forum about the Bangladesh government. Kobir said Bangladesh had already lodged diplomatic protests with India over the matter and would continue to use diplomatic channels to prevent what it described as anti-Bangladesh activities from Indian territory.Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Bangladesh in November 2025 over alleged crimes against humanity during the crackdown on protesters in the youth-led movement. Dhaka has since been seeking her extradition from India, while New Delhi has said the request is under examination in line with applicable law and established legal procedures. Overall, Kobir’s remarks underlined that Dhaka sees any visit by Rahman to India as dependent on trust, consensus and what it considers due diplomatic respect.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 20, 2026 15:24 IST