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The political work of fugitive Sheikh Hasina in India is uncomfortable for Tarique Rahman’s government, the sources said.
Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman. (Image: AP)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will not travel to Delhi to attend the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12 and 13, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.
The official close to the matter told CNN-News18 that PM Rahman is keen to visit India at the earliest but is concerned about the takeaways and achievements he would have to present before his audience back home following a visit of this nature.
The political work of fugitive Sheikh Hasina in India is uncomfortable for Tarique Rahman’s government, the official said, adding that she must be returned because she is punished and was directly involved in the killing of students.
“Also, the sooner Hadi returns the killers, the better the relationship between the two countries will be,” the source said.
The official said Bangladesh is always determined to maintain friendly relations with India.
“Awami League is responsible for the anti-India mentality that has developed in Bangladesh today. BNP is not responsible in any way. Rather, the BNP government wants to move forward with a trusting relationship with India,” the source added.
The official said Rahman may have skipped the multilateral BRICS summit, to which he was invited by India, but that does not mean he is trying to avoid an immediate and important neighbour like India, which has contributed and sacrificed immensely during Bangladesh’s Liberation War of 1971.
Rahman is aware that he may have to visit Delhi in a bilateral framework by November or early December, as the Ganga Water Treaty needs to be renewed at the earliest and will otherwise lapse by the end of December, the official said.
The source said energy is one area where India could send a positive message, as Bangladesh is suffering from an acute crunch in energy supply.
“It will be a confidence-building measure if India can assist Bangladesh in dealing with this challenge,” the official said.
A visit by Rahman, the source said, has to be designed in such a way that it will kick-start the India-Bangladesh relationship to its fullest potential.
BRICS Summit
India will host the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, with several world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, expected to attend the event.
Putin is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi bilaterally on Friday, September 11, a day before the multilateral event scheduled for September 12 and 13. The BRICS summit will be held under the official theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is skipping the BRICS summit due to concerns about the achievements he would present back home and the uncomfortable political work of fugitive Sheikh Hasina in India. He also believes that the Awami League is responsible for anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh, not his BNP government.
Ask News18About the Author
Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively …Read More
September 10, 2026, 14:12 IST
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