Dhaka, September 13 (Daily Kiran) : Bangladesh’s decision to forgo participation in the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13 has been criticized as a significant diplomatic misstep. A report highlights that this choice represents a missed opportunity to engage with major global and regional powers, raising concerns about the country’s diplomatic maturity.
The statement from Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Humayun Kabir, has also drawn scrutiny. He remarked that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was invited to the summit not in his capacity as Prime Minister but as the chair of BIMSTEC. This distinction, while procedural, indicates a lack of strategic foresight, according to the report published by the Daily Sun.
The report suggests that while the invitation may seem technically significant, it does not justify Bangladesh’s absence from BRICS. Bangladesh, as the chair of BIMSTEC, should have viewed this invitation as an opportunity to elevate its profile in the Bay of Bengal region.
The analysis posits that Dhaka could have leveraged this summit to position itself as a key voice in regional issues. High-level meetings with leaders from India, China, Russia, and other participating nations could have advanced discussions on regional connectivity, trade, energy cooperation, climate resilience, and the Rohingya crisis.
Instead, the report argues, BIMSTEC’s role was perceived as merely technical, reflecting a mindset within the foreign ministry that prioritizes protocol over substantive diplomatic outcomes. It also cautions that attributing excessive importance to the nature of the invitation could portray Bangladesh as an overly sensitive nation.
The presence of leaders such as Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS summit offered unique diplomatic opportunities that cannot be replicated through formal meetings or messages exchanged later.
Bangladesh could have utilized this platform to discuss trade, investment, energy security, infrastructure financing, technology, climate finance, and supply chain diversification. Engaging in these discussions could have strengthened ties with China and Russia, improved relations with India through direct high-level diplomacy, and deepened economic connections with Indonesia, Brazil, Gulf states, and African economies.
The report emphasizes that the real concern extends beyond merely missing the summit; it raises questions about the quality of strategic thinking within Bangladesh’s foreign ministry. Foreign policy should not be reactive to perceived diplomatic slights, protocol disputes, or narrow interpretations of invitations. Instead, it requires vision, creativity, and the ability to anticipate future challenges.
Ultimately, Bangladesh’s foreign policy should be guided by a fundamental question: does any diplomatic engagement advance the country’s national interests? In the case of BRICS, the answer was clearly affirmative.
The report concludes that Dhaka had a unique opportunity to engage with major powers, emerging economies, development financiers, and key regional partners on a single platform. By opting to remain on the sidelines, Bangladesh missed a chance to solidify its relationships and present BIMSTEC as a viable regional forum.
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