The US has perhaps invited the "weak democracies" to the first phase of Summit for Democracy and that is why Bangladesh is not in the invitation list, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen.

He made the comment while talking to journalists after attending a discussion on climate change on Dhaka University campus yesterday.

The minister said, "Bangladesh has a stable and transparent democracy for the last several years. Citizens can vote here in a free and fair manner."

In addition, he said he did not believe that Bangladesh was excluded.

"They [the US] will hold the summit in two phases -- one in this year and another the next… Maybe we will be invited to the second phase."

As it was mentioned that the US was a valued partner in development, Momen said, "We should think about how we have our democracy. We will not do it on the basis of others' advice.

"We work for peoples' welfare. We are continuously trying to improve it."

He also commented that the US rather was in trouble with its democracy that is of 250 years. "You saw what happened in the US a few days back."

The US President Joe Biden's Summit for Democracy is scheduled on December 9 and 10. It will be held virtually.

Bangladesh has been excluded from the list of 110 invitees. Its South Asian peers India, Pakistan and Nepal made it to the list.