Hasina calls Tarique Rahman's BRICS no-show immature, says it hurt Bangladesh's national interest

Politics and diplomacy in Bangladesh are in a stir over Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's decision not to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed strong displeasure at the decision. In an exclusive interview, she said the present government's step was entirely immature and taken without thought, and that it has directly harmed Bangladesh's national interest.

The BRICS summit was scheduled in the Indian capital, New Delhi, on September 12 and 13. As the current chair of BIMSTEC, New Delhi had sent the Bangladesh Prime Minister a respectful invitation. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, however, decided not to attend. Hasina said Bangladesh had lost, purely because of political narrow-mindedness, a golden opportunity to strengthen its place in the world and speed up economic progress.

In the interview, Hasina pointed to one crucial matter. She said that if Prime Minister Tarique Rahman avoided going to BRICS only because she is present in New Delhi, it is extremely unfortunate. According to her, relations between two countries, or diplomacy the world over, cannot be decided on the basis of one person's personal matters or internal political sensitivities.

She made it clear that foreign policy must rest on long-term thinking and the country's interest. It cannot be run on personal reactions or short-term political calculations. In Hasina's words, a responsible government should open the doors of progress in the world for its country, and shutting them itself is an utterly wrong policy.

Explaining the importance of BRICS, Hasina said it is not merely a formal diplomatic meeting. BRICS is a powerful forum that brings together the world's fast-emerging large economies. Through the grouping, she said, immense opportunities for cooperation arise in trade, technology, infrastructure development, foreign investment and socio-economic collaboration.

She said that by taking part in such a global forum, Bangladesh could have explored new paths for its economic and social development. Through bilateral talks with other major countries, investment in the country could have been promoted. But by boycotting the summit, she said, the present Bangladesh government has done the country great harm.

In her statement, Hasina also said how important it is to show political maturity while conducting international relations. In today's global competition, she said, being isolated cannot be a profitable bargain for any country. The historic ties between Bangladesh and India, she added, are extremely important for the people of both countries.

She said that for this reason, ignoring such international summits is like shooting oneself in the foot. Following Hasina's sharp criticism, fresh debate has begun on Bangladesh's internal politics and foreign policy.