BRICS Summit rolls on in New Delhi, an opportunity lost for Dhaka

The  largest democracy on Earth hosts the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on 12-13 September 2026, where a series of discussions will take place focusing on the theme of 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability' with an aim to resolve many global challenges. United Nations secretary-general António Guterres, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and many other high-profile global leaders are participating in the international meet. Initially began the journey in 2001 as a Global South powerhouse comprising only Brazil, Russia, India and China, the  BRIC (later BRICS) expanded its territories with the inclusion of South Africa,  Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia (altogether  11 major emerging economies). The  multilateral forum  also has 10 partner nations including Thailand, Malaysia,  Vietnam, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

Though invited the Bangladesh premier  Tarique Rahman as the current chair of BIMSTEC to the BRICS outreach session, Dhaka refused to join in the global meet. At the last moment, neighbouring  government authorities announced that Rahman  was invited only as the BIMSTEC chair, but not as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In fact, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Rahman kept  New Delhi guessing for many weeks and lately Dhaka stated that it would accept the invitation for a state visit to India at a mutually convenient time. Political observers believe it as a lost opportunity for Bangladesh in general and Rahman in particular, because his participation would have helped the country to highlight  many relevant issues and also easing bilateral ties with New Delhi.

Initially Dhaka insisted on extradition of ousted Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina, who is taking a temporary shelter in India since 5 August 2024, so that she can be made accountable for crimes against humanity during the Monsoon revolution that resulted in killing of over 1400 agitators  including many young people. Later, the 78 years old leader of Bangladesh Awami League herself declared that she was returning to her home country by this year (probably by the first part of December).  As Hasina faces  a death sentence in a Bangladeshi court, she apprehended the consequences, but the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Muibur Rahman expressed her determination to return 'whatever the outcome may be'.

At an audio-live press meet in New Delhi, She stated her intention to voluntarily return to Bangladesh. The event on 5 August was hugely covered by the international media, whereas the Bangladeshi media avoided covering or reporting about it. The Rahman government in Dhaka expressed its anger that 'a genocider' was allowed to interact with the media by the Indian government. Different channels in the Dhaka administration unanimously claimed that Hasina must not return on her own, but she should be repatriated. They also indicated that once she arrives on Bangladesh soil, Hasina will be executed as she has now lost the opportunity to appeal for review against the verdict. Some commented that Dhaka wanted to capture Hasina and bring back to face  legal processes. The Hasina factor even prevented  Rahman from taking up his first overseas visit destination from India to Malaysia and China.

New Delhi initially stated that it was examining Hasina's repatriation request from Dhaka with established procedures. However lately it's understood that New Delhi has  straightly answered that it can not send Hasina unconditionally. Even though India  is not a signatory to 1951 Refugee Convention or 1967 Protocol where refugees are entitled to receive some basic rights, New Delhi is seemingly conscious about its global image. There was an unusual hope for Hasina, where Md Sahabuddin was the President of Bangladesh as he was a trusted Awami League leader. But lately the country has a guard in  Bangabhaban. A  BNP stalwart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir  took oath as the President of Bangladesh following the 20 August polls in Jatiya Sansad (national assembly). A trusted ally to Rahman's mother Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul Islam personally faced humiliations from Hasina's regime on various occasions. Hence no mercy can be expected from  President Fakhrul Islam in any case once  Hasina arrives in Bangladesh voluntarily or by any means.