The incident came a day after Zahed Ur Rahman, senior adviser to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, was detained for nearly two-and-a-half hours at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on his arrival in India, which he described as “harassment” by Indian authorities at the Delhi airport.
The incident unfolded late Sunday when Zahed, travelling as part of a delegation for an Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) meeting, was stopped upon arrival.
According to his account at a press conference in Bangladesh, he said that he was detained despite holding official status, prompting him to make an on-the-spot decision to return home rather than proceed. He flew back via Colombo, while other Bangladeshi delegates continued with the programme.
Speaking in Dhaka on Tuesday, Zahed framed his action as a principled stand. “I did not go there in a personal capacity. I went as a representative of the state,” he said. “I felt we needed to make an instant protest against what happened.” He emphasised that the move was not personal but a clear message from the new government: “This is not Sheikh Hasina’s government. This is a government with a public mandate,” as per The Daily Star.
Zahed stressed that Bangladesh harbours no ill will toward India and hopes the episode will not damage long-term bilateral ties. “We do not want a bad situation with any country under any circumstances,” he added, while noting he would have no objection to future visits if proper procedures are followed.
Bangladesh has since summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka to register its protest. Zahed, who has in the past been vocal in his criticism of Indian policies and leaders, highlighted the need for mutual respect between sovereign nations.
“We are an independent and sovereign state,” he declared, underscoring that relations must now be built on people-to-people connections rather than the dynamics of the previous regime.
Indian authorities reportedly cleared his entry after higher-level intervention, but by then Zahed had already chosen to turn back.
Several reports also suggest that he was on a watchlist and travelling on an ordinary passport, adding layers to the procedural dispute.
