Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina characterised Tarique Rahman's absence from the BRICS summit in India as reflecting poor judgement that works against the country's broader interests, arguing that foreign policy shaped by personal grievances or near-term political positioning tends to undermine rather than advance national goals.

Speaking in an interview broadcast on a television news channel, Hasina expressed the view that attendance at the grouping's summit held the potential to advance Bangladesh's economic and social prospects — an opportunity she described as having slipped away.

Hasina noted that if her presence in New Delhi had prompted Rahman to stay away from the summit, that outcome was a matter of regret, given that ties between the two nations ought to rest on broader foundations than the personal or political circumstances surrounding any single person. The comments came against the backdrop of New Delhi having extended an invitation to Rahman, in his role as the sitting BIMSTEC chair, to participate in the BRICS summit — with Hasina framing the decision as one consistent with responsible governance oriented toward broadening the country's international ties rather than narrowing them.

Rahman's absence from the two-day New Delhi gathering on 12 and 13 September drew a pointed response from Hasina, who described Bangladesh's non-attendance as a matter of considerable regret. She characterised the move as reflecting poor judgement that ran counter to Bangladesh's national interests, adding that BRICS functions as considerably more than a forum for diplomatic exchange.

Hasina described the grouping as pooling the economies of leading developing nations and opening pathways for joint work across trade, investment, infrastructure, technology, and development. She argued that such an arrangement held the prospect of broadening Bangladesh's practical expertise while opening pathways toward wider economic and social advancement, and described the opportunity as one that had slipped away. She also noted that her time leading the government had included participation in the BRICS Summit that India convened in October 2016.

Hasina argued that foreign policy decisions ought to rest on long-range strategic thinking rather than personal reaction or near-term political calculations. She added that while India remains Bangladesh's nearest neighbour and a partner of historic standing, engagement with BRICS also speaks to where Bangladesh positions itself within the broader international community.

Replying to written questions, Hasina — who has resided in Delhi since her administration fell amid widespread public unrest in August 2024 — recalled that Ziaur Rahman, then serving as prime minister, travelled to New Delhi in 1979 during her own period of residence there. She noted that he had assumed office through a process she characterised as unconstitutional, following the killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other family members on 15 August 1975 and the deaths of four national leaders inside Dhaka Central Jail on 3 November of that year. She also noted that his 1980 trip to London unfolded independently of any other person's whereabouts in that city at the time.

Hasina raised the question of whether Tarique Rahman — son of Ziaur Rahman — faces any barrier to travelling to India that could be attributed to a particular individual's presence in Delhi. She put forward the position that ties between two nations ought not to hinge on personal considerations or political sensitivities tied to any single individual, adding that her administration's diplomatic approach had pursued partnerships across India, China, Russia, Japan, the United States, Europe, and numerous other countries throughout her time in office — a breadth of engagement she credited with supporting Bangladesh's economic development.

Hasina stated that ties with one nation have never, in principle, demanded that another be treated as an adversary. She argued that any administration should be working to expand the country's connections with the world rather than drawing them inward, and called for the country's diplomatic approach to reflect greater steadiness, even-handedness, and self-assurance in its international engagements.

Ties between India and Bangladesh faced renewed pressure following Hasina's virtual press interaction, conducted from New Delhi on 5 August. In the aftermath of that event, Bangladeshi authorities renewed their call for her extradition and also attempted to tie the matter to Rahman's proposed visit to India. Indian officials moved to separate the country's position from the occasion, stating that the government had no hand in organising it and did not back the remarks Hasina made.

Hasina also addressed the foreign policy direction of the Rahman administration, arguing it ought to be independent, balanced, and driven by national interest. She invoked the principle long associated with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — that a nation should extend friendship to all and harbour ill will toward none.

Hasina noted that both India and China maintain distinct ties with Bangladesh — India as a neighbouring state that shared in the 1971 independence struggle, and China as a partner engaged in development cooperation. She stated that Bangladesh maintains foreign policy interests spanning several distinct regions and blocs, among them the United States, Japan, the European nations, ASEAN member states, and countries across the Muslim world. She added that building diplomatic ties with another country is not inherently problematic, but that the threshold is crossed when one such relationship is used as a tool to destabilise a separate alliance, and that rhetoric directed against a neighbouring country, when amplified for domestic political gain, tends to set that process in motion.

Hasina told reporters that the process of accountability unravels whenever those in positions of authority bypass any form of public accountability in their decision-making. She characterised the current situation in Bangladesh as a deep national predicament, contending that avenues for democratic participation had been shut down and that the court system had been deployed as a tool of political retribution.

She pointed to constraints on press operations, a documented decline in public-order indicators, and reported unease among minority communities as matters that had drawn attention in recent assessments. She stated that radical movements had found renewed footing while the broader economy had taken a hit, and that what had once been linked to a single party had spread, taking root as a broader concern shared across the country.

Hasina noted that one of the country's largest political organisations had been formally prohibited from functioning, leaving its top members either in custody or forced into hiding, and that supporters of the movement had reported encountering barriers to routine civic engagement. She argued that stability within any country's boundaries tends to remain out of reach when a meaningful share of that country's own people have no voice in shaping it.

She stated that while hardship had spread broadly across the country, those affiliated with the Awami League — its leadership, rank-and-file members, and supporters — had encountered a level of politically motivated targeting that had no clear parallel in recent experience. Hasina indicated her intention to return to Bangladesh, describing the aim as restoring democratic governance, while noting that the attendant dangers were plain to see. She acknowledged that arrest, imprisonment, or even threats to one's life remain real possibilities, but stated that those risks would not determine where personal responsibility leads.

Hasina noted that records show large numbers of people have been detained, others have gone underground to avoid arrest, and entire households have lost property, employment, and income on account of their political affiliation. She described her planned return as part of a broader effort to restore democratic governance, voting access, and the rule of law, and expressed a commitment to standing alongside the Bangladeshi people, advocating for their rights, and working toward the restoration of democratic governance, public safety, and national development. She stated that voters in Bangladesh deserve an electoral process that is open, transparent, and accessible to all, framing the planned homecoming as a move toward restoring the country to its citizens.

Hasina noted that a death sentence handed down by a Bangladeshi court placed her return to the country in doubt, yet told reporters that fear was not something she carried with her, adding that proximity to death was not a new experience in her life. She recounted that in 1975, nearly every member of her immediate family — including her parents and brothers — lost their lives. She stated that, facing both an authoritarian government and a climate of intimidation, a decision was made to travel back to Bangladesh in 1981, and that on at least one occasion — a grenade attack on 21 August 2004 — an attempt was made on her life, with jailing, conspiracy charges, and politically motivated persecution also forming part of the documented record against her.

Hasina contended that questions about accountability within Bangladesh's justice system extend beyond individual security concerns, and that any execution carried out through a process driven by political considerations, and where the accused had no meaningful avenue for defence, falls outside what can reasonably be described as justice.

Hasina told reporters that a number of Awami League figures had departed the country under duress rather than by choice, and that those who stayed behind faced ongoing pressure. She stated that the Awami League had not moved away from the stance it holds toward Bangladesh, its people, and its own political objectives, and that the group had vowed to reconnect with the population, framing its cause as one rooted in and directed toward ordinary people. She described the party as a functioning organisation with an active presence beyond any formal headquarters or administrative paperwork, and stated that it maintains an organisational footprint stretching across every administrative tier in Bangladesh — from national divisions down to individual villages.

Hasina called for the reinstatement of democratic governance, the upholding of legal order, and the freeing of those detained on political grounds. She also called for the withdrawal of what she described as unsubstantiated charges and for stronger safeguards for minority communities, and identified addressing radicalism, reviving the economy, and steering the country back toward a development-oriented course as priorities for Bangladesh. She stated that under democratic systems, governmental authority derives from electoral participation by the citizenry, and that an Awami League government would follow the public's mandate, provided any future vote met standards of openness, fairness, and broad participation. She held that legitimate authority over a society draws its power from the consent of those governed, not from force or fear.