Bangladesh Premier Skips BRICS Summit Amid Hasina Dispute

Bangladesh Premier Tarique Rahman declined an invitation to the BRICS outreach session in New Delhi during the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit on September 12-13, 2026. The summit, attended by leaders including Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, focused on resilience, innovation, and sustainability, but was overshadowed by diplomatic friction between Dhaka and New Delhi.

The tension centers on the status of ousted Bangladeshi Premier Sheikh Hasina, who has been sheltered in India since August 2024. While Hasina expressed a determination to return to Bangladesh voluntarily by December 2026, stating she would do so "whatever the outcome may be", the Rahman government demands her immediate repatriation. Hasina faces a death sentence for crimes against humanity.

The Government of India has refused to extradite Hasina unconditionally. Adding to the pressure, Bangladesh President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a political rival of Hasina, signaled that no mercy will be granted to her upon her return to the country.