Bangladeshi Envoy Explains Tarique Rahman’s Absence from BRICS Summit in India

Source: India Today | Original Published At: 2026-09-10 09:12:35 UTC

Key Points

• Bangladesh's High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman did not attend the BRICS Summit in India because of "certain context and circumstances."
• Hamidullah did not elaborate on the specific circumstances behind the absence, which concerned the summit scheduled for September 12 and 13.
• He rejected the suggestion that Bangladesh's BIMSTEC chairmanship alone explained the decision.
• The remarks were made at the India Today BRICS Roundtable.
• Hamidullah said inviting regional and subregional organizations such as BIMSTEC to BRICS and other summits is an established practice and should be viewed positively.
• He said the Global South is not a monolith, comprising an estimated 130 to 150 countries with differing interests.
• On Bangladesh's possible BRICS membership, Hamidullah said Dhaka supports open regionalism and has engaged with frameworks including SAARC, BIMSTEC, and BBIN.