Bangladesh will not send Prime Minister Tarique Rahman or any other representative to the upcoming 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, Foreign State Minister Humaiun Kobir said on Thursday.
Kobir made the remarks while responding to journalists’ questions on the sidelines of an international seminar on Rohingya issues at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital. The matter was later confirmed through the verified Facebook page of the BNP media cell.
The Foreign State Minister said Tarique Rahman had been invited to the BRICS Summit in his capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC. He said the invitation was not a direct bilateral invitation from India to Rahman as Bangladesh’s prime minister.
Kobir said the Bangladesh government was giving greater importance to direct bilateral visits and meetings than to summits of regional and multilateral forums.
Responding to questions about a possible bilateral visit to India, Kobir said, “When an appropriate environment is created and mutual respect is maintained between the two neighbours, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India will take place. We do not see any need to rush in this regard.”
“The Prime Minister’s first visit to India should not take place on a multilateral platform,” he said. “There is no scope to view the invitation received as BIMSTEC chair as a bilateral invitation from India to the head of the Bangladesh government.”
On progress in Bangladesh-India bilateral trade, Kobir said, “Positive discussions are continuing. No decision is made overnight. It takes time.”
Referring to the upcoming expiry of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty and other issues related to national interests, Kobir said, “Wherever our national interests are involved, the government will act with full importance and efficiency. The country’s sovereign interests and public welfare are our main priorities.”
On the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session and the Prime Minister’s foreign travel schedule, Kobir said preparations for the session were progressing in full swing. He said the Prime Minister’s complete itinerary and final decisions would be officially communicated to the media before the delegation leaves Dhaka.