India has no update on Tarique’s participation in BRICS Summit: Jaiswal

The Indian government has said it has "no update" on whether Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will attend the BRICS Summit or whether someone else will represent the country at the event scheduled to take place in New Delhi on 12 and 13 September.

"On the participation of the Bangladesh side, I have no update to share with you," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at the ministry's weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.

The Indian government had formally invited Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit soon after he became prime minister. He was later invited to the BRICS outreach session in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair.

While discussions between the two countries over the bilateral visit were under way, the situation became complicated after ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina virtually participated in a press conference organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) in New Delhi on 5 August.

The Bangladesh government, however, subsequently expressed its discontent in various ways.

During Friday’s briefing, journalists also asked MEA spokesperson Jaiswal about Hasina's recent interviews with Indian media outlets.

A journalist said Hasina had reportedly outlined conditions – personal security, an independent judiciary and a fair trial – for returning to Bangladesh.

Jaiswal, however, declined to comment when asked whether Hasina had raised these demands with the Indian government.

Bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India have been strained since the ouster of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on 5 August 2024 in the face of a mass uprising.

Since then, Dhaka has been demanding Hasina’s extradition and urging the Indian government to restrain her political activities.