Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s boycott of the BRICS summit held in Delhi was an immature, harmful act and against Bangladesh’s interests, said former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is taking refuge in India.
The BRICS summit, in which countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are members, was held in Delhi on the 12th and 13th of last month. Leaders including Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended it.
India had also extended an invitation to Tarique Rahman, the Prime Minister of neighboring Bangladesh. However, he did not attend the conference. It was explained that Rahman did not participate because the invitation was extended only in his capacity as the current head of BIMSTEC and as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
In an interview given to PTI in Delhi on this matter, Sheikh Hasina was asked a question. Her response was as follows: My being in India may have been the reason for Rahman boycotting the BRICS summit. Relations between two countries should not be determined by personal reasons or by the political sentiments of an individual. A country's government should open the door for the nation, not close it.
Tariq Rahman's non-participation in the BRICS summit is very unfortunate. The Bangladeshi Prime Minister's decision is immature. It brings no benefit to the country's national interest; rather, his boycott is detrimental to Bangladesh's interests.
BRICS is not merely an event where the leaders of various countries meet in person. It is capable of fostering unity among economically powerful nations. If Bangladesh had participated in it, Bangladesh could have gained valuable experience.
It could have brought major countries together on one platform in areas such as trade, investment, infrastructure, technology, and development. It could have created new opportunities for economic and social development in its own country.
But that opportunity has now slipped away. A country’s foreign policy cannot be driven by personal reactions or short-term political calculations. India is Bangladesh’s closest neighbor. Moreover, Bangladesh is a partner of India in historical and cultural terms. At the same time, if it had participated in the BRICS summit, Bangladesh might have stood out on its own in the international community.
After the father of Bangladesh, Mujibur Rahman, and his family were massacred in 1975, Ziaur Rahman (Tariq’s father) became prime minister in an unconstitutional manner. When he came to Delhi in 1979, I was in Delhi. When he went to London in 1980, I was in London. He never canceled his trips because of my presence.
So what prevented Tariq Rahman, the son of Ziaur Rahman, from coming to Delhi? What is the real reason behind his decision? During my tenure, Bangladesh worked closely with India. Likewise, it expanded friendly relations with countries including China, Russia, Japan, the United States, and Europe.
India is Bangladesh’s close neighboring country. It has been Bangladesh’s historical friend since the time of Bangladesh’s liberation war. China is also an important development partner. Likewise, other countries are also important to Bangladesh. It is not a problem for Bangladesh to maintain friendly relations with China or any other country. The problem arises when a friendship with one country is used against another country,” he said.