BRICS invitation row upsets Bangladesh? Dhaka puts 101 India agreements under review

Bangladesh will review 101 agreements signed with India amid a row over Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's BRICS invitation. Dhaka said it is reassessing pacts to safeguard national interests, while stressing that future India ties must respect its sovereignty.

Bangladesh is reviewing 101 agreements signed with India, the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) parliament chief whip Nurul Islam Moni said on Friday, amid a diplomatic row over Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's invitation to the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Moni made the remarks at the Parliament Media Centre following the conclusion of the 13th parliament's third session, Prothom Alo reported.

Asked whether agreements allowing ships of friendly countries to use Chattogram and Mongla ports would be cancelled, Moni said Bangladesh was reviewing all 101 memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

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Bangladesh is reviewing 101 agreements with India due to a diplomatic row over PM Tarique Rahman's invitation to the BRICS Summit, which was not extended in his capacity as Bangladesh's prime minister.

Bangladesh is contemplating the cancellation of various 'unethical agreements' that allegedly favored foreign vessels over domestic ones, particularly regarding port policies at Chattogram port.

The Bangladesh government aims to prioritize its sovereignty and domestic interests, withdrawing from agreements seen as detrimental to its national welfare.

Bangladesh has ruled out Tarique Rahman's attendance at the BRICS Summit, asserting he wasn't invited as the prime minister but rather as the BIMSTEC chair.

Bangladesh is focusing on enhancing bilateral relations with India while expressing disappointment over how their national interests are represented in multilateral forums like BRICS.

"We are reviewing the agreements, all 101 MoUs. You will get the outcome very soon, very soon," he said.

Dhaka cites 'unethical agreements'

Moni did not specify which agreements could remain in force or which might be cancelled or amended.

He said the government was withdrawing from various "unethical agreements" to prioritise Bangladesh's national interests. He cited what he described as unfair agreements under the previous administration, including port policies that favoured foreign vessels over Bangladeshi ships at Chattogram port.

The BNP chief whip said Bangladesh's future diplomatic relations would be guided by the need to safeguard its sovereignty and domestic interests.

His comments came as Dhaka expressed disappointment over India's decision to invite Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to the BRICS Summit as chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), rather than as Bangladesh's prime minister.

'Not invited as a prime minister'

Bangladesh has ruled out the possibility of Rahman visiting India this weekend for the BRICS Summit, saying he was not invited in his capacity as prime minister and that the invitation was extended to the BIMSTEC chair.

India, which is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit as the grouping's current chair, invited Rahman to attend as BIMSTEC chairman. A separate bilateral invitation to Rahman had been in place since February, PTI reported.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Rahman's first visit to India should not be a multilateral one and that Dhaka was placing greater emphasis on bilateral visits and discussions.

"When the environment is favourable, and mutual respect is maintained, bilateral visits will take place. There is no need to rush," Kobir said, adding that Bangladesh was working to arrange a bilateral visit to India when the timing was conducive.

BRICS Summit in Delhi

On India-Bangladesh trade, Kobir said bilateral discussions were continuing positively, but there was no fresh development to announce.

He also said Dhaka would deal seriously with matters involving its national interest, including the approaching expiry of the 30-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty. The treaty, signed in 1996, is due to expire in December.

Meanwhile, the BRICS Summit began in New Delhi on Saturday, with leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attending the meeting.

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