Bangladesh adviser Humaiyun Kabir said Tarique Rahman’s India visit for the BRICS Summit remains unlikely without an appropriate bilateral environment.
Dhaka wants greater “mutual trust” and a “dignified invitation” from New Delhi before Rahman considers attending the summit.
The uncertainty comes amid tensions over Sheikh Hasina’s extradition and her political activities from India.
The possibility of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visiting India next month for the BRICS Summit “remains slim” unless New Delhi creates an environment based on “mutual trust” and extends a “dignified invitation”, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobirhas said, according to PTI. Kobir said Dhaka was in no hurry to arrange a high-level visit unless it served clearly defined national interests.
“There is no justification for rushing into a top-level visit by going beyond the national interest,” Kobir told Bangladesh’s state-run BSS news agency in an interview conducted on August 17 and published on Thursday.
Rahman’s possible visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13 comes amid strained India-Bangladesh ties, particularly over Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
‘Appropriate Environment’ Needed For Rahman’s Visit
Kobir said the prospect of Rahman attending the summit would depend on the creation of an appropriate bilateral environment and a suitable invitation from India.
“The possibility of the Prime Minister visiting India ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit remains slim unless an appropriate environment is created based on consensus between the two countries on specific issues and a dignified invitation,” he said.
The adviser added that Bangladesh could take a positive view of Rahman’s participation if the bilateral environment was based on “mutual trust” and consensus.
Modi Wants Rahman Visit To Be ‘Memorable’
Kobir’s remarks came days after Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to meet Rahman and had assured him of a warm reception in India.
“Prime Minister Modi just mentioned one thing. We need to meet,” Trivedi said at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commission for Bangladeshi business leaders and a visiting Confederation of Indian Industry delegation.
Trivedi added that Modi had assured that Rahman would receive an honourable reception when he visited India.
Bangladesh Seeks Change In India’s Approach
Kobir, who is also the joint secretary general of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) International Affairs Committee, said the future direction of India-Bangladesh relations would depend on what he described as a change in the Indian leadership’s approach towards Bangladesh.
He said India needed to better understand the political developments that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government following the youth-led protests in 2024.
According to Kobir, New Delhi needed to “properly understand the reality” of the movement and the sacrifices made during the protests.
Extradition Of Sheikh Hasina Remains A Key Issue
Bangladesh has been seeking Hasina’s extradition from India after she left the country following the 2024 protests.
Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Bangladesh in November 2025 over alleged “crimes against humanity” linked to the crackdown on protesters during the movement.
New Delhi has said that Dhaka’s extradition request is under examination in accordance with applicable law and established legal procedures.
The extradition issue, along with disagreements over Hasina’s activities from India, remains a major obstacle in India-Bangladesh relations and could influence the prospects of Rahman’s proposed visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit.
