Bangladesh, Sept. 24 -- Bangladesh's decision to stay away from the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi has raised questions far beyond one missed international gathering. According to Ambassador Veena Sikri, the former High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, Dhaka's failure to respond formally to New Delhi's invitation represents a broader problem in diplomatic engagement at a time when India-Bangladesh relations face questions over security, counter-terrorism, regional connectivity and the future of the Ganga Waters Treaty.

In an exclusive interview with Blitz, Ambassador Sikri examined Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's absence from the BRICS outreach session, Bangladesh's responsibilities as the current chair of BIMSTEC, the deterioration...