Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said obtaining membership in BRICS was not an assumption made during our initial visit to the summit in Johannesburg.

"We had not anticipated achieving membership during our first summit attendance, and we did not actively pursue such efforts," the prime minister shared these remarks with the media during a press conference on her recent visit to BRICS summit on Tuesday.

Addressing the global leaders' letter calling on the government to suspend trial against Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the law will take its own course.

"I'm surprised. If he [Yunus] was so confident about not doing any crime, then he wouldn't beg for statements from the international community,"

In reply to a question, she said, "If a lawsuit is filed in the labour court, do we have the power to halt it? Who am I to withdraw the lawsuit? The judiciary is completely independent."

"I would welcome their visit to review the case documents and ascertain whether any discrepancies exist or if the case has been inaccurately filed."

On Sunday (27 August), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home after attending the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg of South Africa.

She attended the Friends of BRICS Leaders Dialogue (BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue) in Johannesburg on 22-24 August at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.