Hasina Calls Bangladesh PM's BRICS Summit Absence 'Immature', Says Dhaka Lost an Opportunity

Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's decision to stay away from the BRICS summit hosted by India, describing it as "immature" and against Bangladesh's national interest. She said a foreign policy guided by personal reactions or short-term political calculations is "inherently counterproductive".

In an interview with the news agency PTI, Ms. Hasina said Bangladesh's participation in the summit could have opened new avenues for its economic and social development, and that the opportunity had been lost.

India had invited Mr. Rahman to the summit in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. The summit was held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Mr. Rahman did not attend.

"It was deeply unfortunate that Bangladesh chose not to participate. In my view, it was an immature decision and one that did not serve Bangladesh's national interest," she said.

Describing BRICS as more than a diplomatic gathering, she said the grouping brings together major emerging economies and creates scope for cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, technology and development. "By participating, Bangladesh could have gained valuable experience and opened new opportunities for its own economic and social development. That opportunity was lost," she said.

Ms. Hasina, 78, has been living in Delhi since she left Bangladesh in August 2024, when her government collapsed in the face of a mass anti-government agitation. She said relations between two countries cannot be decided by personal considerations or the political sensitivities of one individual. If her own presence in New Delhi was the reason for Mr. Rahman's decision, she said, that was "very unfortunate".

She recalled that Ziaur Rahman, whose rise to power in the 1970s she has described as unconstitutional, visited Delhi in 1979 and London in 1980 at a time when she herself was living in those cities. "My presence in either city did not prevent him from travelling there," she said. "So why should my presence in Delhi prevent Ziaur Rahman's son, Tarique Rahman, from coming to India today?"

Ms. Hasina also cited her own record in office, saying her government maintained strong ties with India while expanding cooperation with China, Russia, Japan, the United States, Europe and other partners. "Friendship with one country never required hostility towards another," she said, adding that Bangladesh needs a "mature, balanced and confident foreign policy" and that a responsible government should "open doors for the country, not close them".

The remarks come at a time of strain in India-Bangladesh relations, a period that has included Ms. Hasina's virtual media interaction from New Delhi on August 5. The interview, published by PTI, did not carry a response from Mr. Rahman or his office.

BRICS — originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — has expanded in recent years to include additional members, and its summits are followed closely by countries seeking closer ties with major emerging economies. Bangladesh is not a member of the grouping; Mr. Rahman was invited as the BIMSTEC chair. Decisions on attendance at such summits rest with sovereign governments.