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Bangladesh is unlikely to become a member of the intercontinental cooperation bloc BRICS at its upcoming summit, apparently pending finalization of cooption modalities.
For the last couple of months there have been speculations that several countries -- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Malaysia -- would be invited to join the grouping comprising Brazil, Russia, India, Chin and South Africa.
According to insiders the move stalled as India and Brazil said that no new member should be inducted in the group before finalising modalities for cooption.
Commenting on the issue Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Wednesday that there were informal discussions regarding extension of the group and there was expectation that Bangladesh would be invited to join in with some other countries, but due to changed circumstances, it became uncertain.
"Let's see what is going to happen in the summit," he added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to attend the BRICS summit in South Africa and she is likely to leave Dhaka on August 21.
The foreign minister said, "The South African president invited Bangladesh prime minister to join the summit and we hope that this will be a good opportunity for us to enhance our ties with South Africa and other African countries."
Foreign Ministry has also asked the Bangladeshi Ambassadors stationed in different missions in the African continent to attend a meeting in South Africa where the prime minister would give them valuable instructions.
Responding to a question, the foreign minister said no bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also attending the summit, is scheduled in South Africa.
The prime minister will meet him in New Delhi in September, he said, noting that Delhi is a better venue for bilateral talks.
However, he said, the prime minister will have bilateral talks with some leaders of African countries.
The foreign minister also informed that the prime minister would also address a meeting of the African premiers to enhance business and investment with Bangladesh.
Responding to another question, the foreign minister said the western countries seem to be adamant to keep the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
He alleged that they have been creating hurdles in the way of repatriation and they have been suggesting providing vocational training to the refugees so that they can be employed in Bangladesh.
"But we have told them clearly that solution to the Rohingya crisis lies in safe and voluntary repatriation to their homeland in Myanmar," he said.
"I also told some envoys of the western countries that they should take some refugees to their countries as they had committed to doing so, but now they're expressing their inability."
He also alleged that though they are talking of economic sanctions against Myanmar, they are pouring huge amount of investment into that country.
According to the foreign minister the United Kingdom has invested around US$7 billion in Myanmar in the last six years, which is more than the investment they made in Bangladesh in the last 50 years.
To another question, the foreign minister said since there is an economic stability in Bangladesh, no "conspiracy of the external forces to install undemocratic government would be successful here".
Even BNP does not want that, the foreign minister said, adding that the political parties of the country will not act irresponsibly to create an unstable situation to pave the way for undemocratic government.