Why Bangladesh not in BRICS

Bangladesh has done nothing except filing an application to join the BRICS club--Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

However, Bangladesh policymakers were keen to get the membership.

It was thought if Bangladesh had obtained BRICS membership, it would have added a new dimension in the different geopolitical context ahead of the national election to be held January next year.

In the 15th summit of BRICS in Johannesburg of South Africa on Thursday, six countries have been invited to join BRICS. The countries are: Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia.

The membership of these countries will be effective from 1 January, 2024.

In June, after prime minister Sheikh Hasina's meeting with South African president Matamela Cyril Ramaposha on the sidelines of an event of International Labour Organisation (ILO), foreign minister AK Abdul Momen told journalists that Bangladesh may join as a member of BRICS.

Following the meeting on 14 June, Bangladesh formally applied to join BRICS. The two top leaders held the meeting on the sidelines of an ILO event.

Diplomatic sources said it is not realistic to get membership of a forum after filing an application to join the alliance. Members of the forum need to reach a consensus to include a new member. Steps need to be taken to send letters to the heads of governments and states of the groups and special envoy is to be sent for convincing.

Bangladesh has done nothing rather than filing an application.

A source said there are differences over the criterion for inclusion of new members. After receiving such information, Bangladesh lost hope for the membership of BRICS. Through the inclusion of six new members, it has become clear that Bangladesh was not properly aware of the criterion for the new membership or Bangladesh didn't try to be aware of.

A diplomatic source in South Africa said the declaration of new membership was supposed to be made on Wednesday night. But it was announced that the five-country group could not reach a consensus. Before the beginning of the session on Thursday, the top leaders of five countries sat in a discussion. As a result, the session started a bit later than the scheduled time.

While speaking to newsmen at his office on 17 August, AK Abdul Momen said South African president Matamela Cyril Ramaposha invited prime minister Sheikh Hasina to join BRICS. At that time it was thought that they would include new members.

The foreign minister also said it ultimately depends on five members of BRICS.

He said, "There is a debate over the inclusion of new membership. Three countries want to include new membership while India and Brazil want to frame new rules and regulations. The South African president at the time said they want to include four countries. We wanted to know, who are they? At the time he said, "Saudi Arabia, UAE, Indonesia and Bangladesh."

At the beginning its name was BRIC--Brazil, Russia, India and China. Investment bank Goldman Sachs' economist Jim O'Neill gave the idea. He published a report in November 2001 and said these four countries would display dominance in the economy by 2050.

Later South Africa became a member of BRIC and its name changed to BRICS.