PM not joining BRICS Summit: Kobir

* Tarique Rahman implements 'Honourable-free' official protocol
* Assures people of gradually resolving gas, power crisis 

* Urges opposition to present actual picture, refrain from provocation 

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said there is scope for Bangladesh to send a government representative to the BRICS Summit, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was not invited to the summit and the invitation was instead extended to the Bimstec Chair.

“How shall we go? Has anyone from the Bangladesh government been invited? Our prime minister was not invited. Who told you that our prime minister was invited? The Bimstec Chair was invited. Then why are you asking this question?” he told reporters, ruling out the possibility of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attending the BRICS Summit.

Responding to a question at the Foreign Service Academy, Kobir said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s first visit to India cannot be a multilateral visit.

He said the government is working on arranging a bilateral visit to India when the timing is conducive.

In April 2025, Bangladesh assumed the chairmanship of the regional grouping �" the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) �" for the next two years, reaffirming its commitment to advancing regional cooperation and development.

Bimstec consists of seven member countries �" Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

India confirmed that an invitation was extended to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the BRICS Summit as the Bimstec Chair, while a separate bilateral invitation has been in place since February this year.

According to earlier reports, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to attend the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for 12-13 September in New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has started implementing the government's decision to drop "Honourable" and other honorifics before his title in official communications and documents from his own office.

The Prime Minister's Office began the process on Thursday of removing the word "Honourable" from files, documents and other official communications relating to the Prime Minister, a Cabinet Division official said, wishing to remain anonymous.

The Cabinet Division issued a circular on Wednesday directing that no honorific such as "Honourable", "His Excellency" or any other form of respectful address be used before the titles of the President, Prime Minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers in official communications, documents and summaries.

Officials concerned said the Prime Minister has started implementing the directive in his own office instead of leaving it confined to the circular.

They said officials have been instructed to use only "Prime Minister" instead of "Honourable Prime Minister" in files and other official documents submitted to Tarique Rahman.

They also said the decision to drop the honorific reflects the Prime Minister's approach of giving greater importance to public service and accountability than to formal descriptions of office.

The officials said the Prime Minister is also setting an example by following office procedures.

He regularly uses the online attendance system like other officials and employees when entering his office.

Tarique Rahman also records his departure through the prescribed system when leaving the office at the end of the day, the officials said.

They said the practice is intended to send a message to government officials and employees that administrative rules should apply equally, regardless of rank.

Since taking office, Tarique Rahman has taken several steps to reduce excessive protocol and personal prominence in state affairs.

These include not using his photograph in government activities and publicity, reducing the number of vehicles in his motorcade, and not stopping traffic signals for ordinary people during his movement.

The Prime Minister also does not use a flag-bearing vehicle in the country or abroad except for state occasions and official programmes where such protocol is required.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman assured the people that the government will gradually resolve the ongoing gas and electricity crisis, urging the opposition to present the actual situation to the people instead of resorting to provocative behaviour.

"We are firmly hopeful that, Insha-Allah, we will be able to resolve the problems of gas and electricity over time and take the country and its people out of this crisis," he said.

The Prime Minister made the remarks while delivering his winding-up speech at the third session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad.

He said the government is now working on longer-term solutions. "The measures and initiatives the government is going to take, I firmly believe, will enable us, if we can successfully implement the solar power generation plan, to become not only consumers but also producers of solar power. We have that capability."

Tarique Rahman said the government is aware of the sufferings caused by shortages of gas and electricity across the country and is already taking a number of measures to address the situation.

He said the current crisis has not emerged suddenly but was the result of a number of factors, including Bangladesh's prolonged dependence on imported fuel.

"Over the past more than a decade, not the slightest effort was made to extract gas from domestic sources," the Prime Minister said.

He also pointed out that neighbouring countries on both sides of Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal have been extracting gas from offshore fields, while Bangladesh has not made similar efforts for more than a decade.

Tarique Rahman said the country has instead become heavily dependent on imported energy, with the Middle East serving as a major source of gas imports.

The situation became more difficult after a war broke out in the Middle East about 10 to 12 days after the formation of the present government, he said.

The Prime Minister said the war disrupted imports of oil and gas from the Middle East, while one of Bangladesh's two floating LNG terminals, or FSRUs, also became inoperative following an accident caused by an electrical shock. "This added another problem to the crisis," he said.

He said the government has inherited these problems and is trying to address them rather than using the situation as an excuse to avoid responsibility.

Referring to measures taken by the previous government during the Russia-Ukraine war, Tarique Rahman said office hours were changed, and schools and banks adjusted their schedules at the time in an effort to manage the power crisis.

He also criticised the previous government's reliance on quick rental power plants, saying the arrangement has left the country heavily indebted without providing a lasting solution to the power and energy crisis.

The Prime Minister said the government is now working on longer-term solutions.

"We are trying to solve these problems," he said, adding that both the government and opposition have a responsibility to present the actual situation before the people.

Tarique Rahman also said Bangladesh has the potential to move from being a consumer of imported energy to becoming a producer of solar power.

"For so long, we have been consumers of electricity generated from imported sources. If we can properly implement the solar power generation plan that the present government is going to undertake, I firmly believe that we will become not only consumers but also producers of solar electricity," he said.

The Prime Minister said the government is confident of overcoming the crisis based on its experience and its commitment to the country and its people.

He called for cooperation from opposition lawmakers in addressing the national crisis.

Tarique Rahman also urged all lawmakers, irrespective of whether they belong to the government or opposition benches, to present the actual situation to the people and work in the national interest.

He said the government expects cooperation from the opposition to resolve the crisis, but instead, a long march with a huge number of vehicles was organised. "If gas or electricity problems could be solved through a long march, we would have been the first to organise such a long march," he said.

The Prime Minister said the opposition naturally has a role in a democratic system to keep the government balanced and accountable, but provocative actions should not be taken without properly addressing the current crisis.

He warned that such actions could ultimately benefit the "fallen, defeated and ousted fascist forces."

Tarique Rahman questioned whether the people who sacrificed their lives over the past 17 years, including around 1,400 people who died during the 2024 movement, and nearly 30,000 people who suffered disabilities or lost their eyesight, will not be hurt if the current situation is misrepresented. "Then what will be the value of so many sacrifices?" he said.