India briefly halted the entry of Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Adviser on Policy and Strategy, Zahed Ur Rahman, at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport before later clearing him to enter the country. However, despite receiving permission, Zahed Ur Rahman decided not to proceed with his visit and instead returned to Dhaka via Colombo, according to reports in Bangladeshi media. The incident is being seen as the first such episode involving a senior figure linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government since it assumed office earlier this year. The development has drawn attention at a time when India and Bangladesh are adjusting to a new phase in bilateral relations following recent political changes in Dhaka.
According to Bangladesh-based newspaper Prothom Alo, Zahed Ur Rahman, a close aide to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening to participate in a meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). During immigration checks at the airport, he was reportedly stopped by Indian authorities and kept waiting for around two-and-a-half hours. Diplomatic sources in both Dhaka and New Delhi told the publication that clearance was eventually granted after intervention from higher authorities.
Visit planned for key regional meeting hosted by India
The purpose of the trip was to attend the 28th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the IORA, scheduled to be held on June 15 and 16 under the aegis of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Ahead of the visit, Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi had formally informed the MEA through a diplomatic note on Friday about Zahed Ur Rahman’s participation in the event.
Reports further stated that Bangladesh High Commissioner M Riaz Hamidullah had also communicated with relevant Indian officials before the visit. Despite these prior notifications, Zahed Ur Rahman was reportedly not allowed to immediately clear immigration and remained at the airport for more than two hours, with reports saying there was no clear explanation conveyed at the outset.
Watchlist claim and wider diplomatic backdrop
A report in The Daily Star cited an Indian television channel as claiming that Zahed Ur Rahman’s name appeared on a “security-related watchlist” during routine verification. The report also noted that he was travelling on a regular green passport carrying a SAARC sticker rather than on a diplomatic passport.
So far, Indian authorities have not issued any public statement regarding the incident. Despite eventually receiving approval to enter India, Zahed Ur Rahman chose to abandon the visit and return to Bangladesh via Colombo.
The episode comes as New Delhi and Dhaka attempt to stabilise ties after relations faced challenges during the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus. Commenting on the incident, political analyst Pratim Ranjan Bose wrote on X, “This is the first time since BNP came to power in Feb that India upped the ante.” He also alleged that Islamist elements had gained influence within the Bangladeshi administration and claimed that Dhaka was increasingly creating space for forces hostile to India.
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Khalid Qasid is a media enthusiast with a strong interest in documentary filmmaking. He holds a Master’s degree in Convergent Journalism from AJK MCRC. He has also written extensively on esports at Sportsdunia. Currently, he covers world and general news at NewsX Digital.
