Tarique Rahman
Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman got 2 India invitations? MEA reveals details after BRICS absence
The Indian government has confirmed that it extended two separate invitations to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman — one for a bilateral visit and another to attend the BRICS Summit in his capacity as chair of BIMSTEC.
During a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had invited Rahman for a bilateral visit and subsequently extended a separate invitation for the BRICS Summit.
"We had invited Prime Minister of Bangladesh on a bilateral visit, as also subsequently he was invited for the BRICS Summit as chair of BIMSTEC," Jaiswal said.
"He had received two invitations: one on the bilateral side, and the other for the BRICS Summit as well," he added.
Rahman did not attend the two-day BRICS Summit, which was held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.
The clarification came after Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir had said that Rahman had not been invited to the summit in his capacity as Bangladesh's prime minister, and that the invitation had instead been extended to the BIMSTEC chair.
"How shall we go? Has anyone from the Bangladesh government been invited? Our prime minister was not invited. Who told you that our Prime Minister was invited? The BIMSTEC Chair was invited. Then why are you asking this question?" Kabir was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
India had earlier clarified that Rahman's invitation to the BRICS outreach session was extended in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC, separate from the bilateral invitation issued after he assumed office.
The BRICS Summit, hosted by India in New Delhi, was attended by several major world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The latest clarification from New Delhi comes amid continued diplomatic engagement between India and Bangladesh following political changes in Dhaka. India has also indicated that it has not yet received an update from Bangladesh regarding Rahman's proposed bilateral visit.
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