Bangladesh PM unlikely to attend BRICS Summit; bilateral talks planned

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unlikely to attend India's BRICS Summit, according to diplomatic sources, as the two South Asian neighbours chart a different course for engaging on pressing bilateral matters.

Instead of a multilateral platform, New Delhi and Dhaka are actively exploring the possibility of scheduling a dedicated summit between their prime ministers later this year. The planned bilateral engagement reflects the urgency of several outstanding issues requiring high-level attention.

Chief among these is the renegotiation of the Ganges Waters Sharing Treaty, a landmark 30-year agreement signed in 1996 that is set to expire in December this year. The treaty has been foundational to managing the shared waters of the Ganges River, one of South Asia's most critical transboundary resources affecting millions of people across both nations.

Official channels in both capitals have begun preliminary discussions on the terms and timing of the proposed prime ministerial meeting. While no formal dates have been announced, both governments are understood to be committed to concluding negotiations on the water treaty renewal before the current agreement lapses.

The decision to pursue bilateral engagement over multilateral participation underscores the strategic importance New Delhi and Dhaka attach to their direct relationship and the sensitive nature of shared water resources in South Asia's geopolitics.