India clarifies two separate invitations extended to Bangladesh PM

India's Ministry of External Affairs has formally addressed the matter regarding invitations extended to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, confirming that he received two distinct and separate invitations to visit the country. The official clarification from New Delhi comes following reports published by the media outlet Times Of India, shedding light on the diplomatic engagements between the neighbouring nations.

According to the details provided by the Ministry of External Affairs, the initial invitation was extended to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh specifically for a bilateral state visit. This diplomatic outreach was designed to foster closer bilateral ties and discuss matters of mutual interest between the two governments in the region.

In addition to the bilateral outreach, a second invitation was subsequently issued to the Bangladeshi leader. This particular invitation requested his participation in the high-profile BRICS summit in his capacity as the current chairman of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, commonly known as BIMSTEC.

The international event in question, the BRICS summit, was officially held in New Delhi. The schedule for the summit spanned two days, taking place specifically on the 12th and 13th of September, drawing regional and global attention to the diplomatic proceedings taking place in the Indian capital.

Elaborating on the nature of these diplomatic communications, Randhir Jaiswal stated, 'We had invited the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. Later, he was also invited to participate in the BRICS summit as the chairman of BIMSTEC. That means he received two invitations.'