No representative from Bangladesh—including Prime Minister Tarique Rahman—will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, confirmed State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir.
Speaking to journalists during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Thursday morning (September 10, 2026), the State Minister clarified the government’s official position regarding the event scheduled for September 12–13 at Bharat Mandapam.
State Minister Humayun Kabir explained that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman received an invitation to the summit in his capacity as the Chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), rather than a direct sovereign head-of-government invitation. Dhaka expressed dissatisfaction with this invitation protocol, deciding to decline representation to uphold diplomatic protocol and national dignity.
However, addressing bilateral relations with India separately, Kabir noted that a standalone bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India may take place in the future when conditions and schedules align.
