Dhaka summons Indian envoy over detention of Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman's adviser in Delhi

Bangladesh on Monday expressed strong displeasure to India after Zahed Ur Rahman, Adviser on Policy and Strategy Affairs to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, was briefly stopped by immigration authorities at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport before eventually being cleared to enter the country. Despite receiving permission to proceed, Rahman decided not to continue his visit and returned to Dhaka via Colombo, according to media reports from Bangladesh.

The incident has prompted Dhaka to summon Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe for an explanation. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman described the episode as both "unexpected" and "regrettable", according to reports carried by the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The development comes at a sensitive moment in India-Bangladesh relations, with New Delhi closely monitoring the policies of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government that assumed office earlier this year.

According to reports, Zahed Ur Rahman arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening to participate in the 28th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), hosted by India's Ministry of External Affairs on June 15 and 16. Diplomatic sources cited by Bangladeshi newspapers said he was held at the airport for nearly two-and-a-half hours during immigration checks.

Although Indian authorities later granted him clearance after intervention from senior officials, Rahman reportedly chose to abandon his visit and flew back to Bangladesh via Sri Lanka. The matter has since attracted considerable attention in both countries.

Bangladesh's High Commission in New Delhi had reportedly informed India's Ministry of External Affairs in advance about Rahman's visit through a diplomatic communication. Bangladeshi diplomats were also said to have engaged with relevant Indian officials ahead of the trip to facilitate his participation in the IORA meeting.

Despite these arrangements, Rahman was stopped during the immigration process and reportedly kept waiting for more than two hours before the issue was resolved. Bangladeshi media reports stated that no immediate explanation was provided during the delay.

Some reports, citing Indian television sources, suggested that Rahman's name may have surfaced during a security verification process. It was also noted that he was travelling on a regular passport carrying a SAARC endorsement rather than a diplomatic passport.

Indian authorities have not issued any official statement on the matter.

The episode unfolds against the backdrop of evolving bilateral ties between New Delhi and Dhaka following the political transition in Bangladesh. Relations between the two countries have been under close scrutiny as both governments seek to navigate a new phase of engagement.

Political commentator Pratim Ranjan Bose suggested that the incident could indicate a tougher posture by New Delhi towards the BNP-led administration. In a post on social media platform X, he described the development as a notable escalation in diplomatic signalling since the BNP assumed power earlier this year.

Bose also alleged that Islamist groups were gaining influence within sections of the Bangladeshi establishment and claimed that Dhaka was increasingly accommodating elements viewed as unfriendly towards India. These assertions, however, remain matters of political debate and have not been officially endorsed by either government.