Bangladesh is likely to get membership of BRICS soon as the issue was raised when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called on South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa in Geneva at the bilateral meeting room of Palais de Nations on Wednesday.
Briefing reporters, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said recently BRICS bank has invited Bangladesh as a guest. In the future, BRICS would invite Bangladesh to join it, he added.
"Their conference will be held in August next in South Africa and the prime minister would join it," said Momen.
BRICS now has five members – Brazil, India, China, South Africa, and Russia.
In the future, eight more countries would get membership as they have invited Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia among them.
"This will be another area of our financing. It will be good for us as we need money," said the foreign minister.
He said the prime minister requested South Africa to open a mission in Bangladesh to enhance bilateral cooperation.
Earlier, President of Malta George Vella also called on the prime minister at the same venue.
Sheikh Hasina requested him to open a mission in Dhaka. She also requested Malta to import ready-made garment (RMG) products and pharmaceutical items.
After that, International Labour Organization (ILO) DG Gilbert F Houngbo also called on her at the same place.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Labour and Employment Secretary Md Ehsan-E-Elahi, and prime minister's speech-writer M Nazrul Islam were also present.
