Dhaka rejects Delhi’s version

Bangladesh has rejected India’s explanation regarding the treatment of Prime Minister’s Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman at Delhi airport, describing the incident as “unfortunate and regrettable” and the clarification offered by New Delhi as unsatisfactory.

Responding to queries on Wednesday about remarks made by the spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka told the media that the explanation provided by the Indian side failed to adequately address the matter.

A spokesperson for the ministry said Bangladesh had informed the Indian authorities through diplomatic channels well in advance that Dr Zahed would lead the Bangladesh delegation to a meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in New Delhi.

“Despite this, the incident that occurred at Delhi airport involving him was unfortunate and regrettable,” the spokesperson said.

Dr. Zahed was scheduled to lead the Bangladesh delegation at the 28th meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of IORA before he was prevented from proceeding through immigration at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport earlier this month.

The episode has sparked concern in Bangladesh, with officials questioning why a senior representative of the government faced difficulties despite prior diplomatic notification regarding his visit.

India, however, maintained that the matter was related to immigration procedures.

Addressing the issue at a media briefing on Tuesday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Dr. Zahed had arrived in India on a private passport carrying a SAARC visa to attend the multilateral meeting.

“He was queried by immigration officials at Delhi airport and subsequently permitted entry after reconfirming that the purpose of his visit was to attend the said multilateral meeting. He, however, chose to return to Dhaka on his own volition,” Jaiswal said.

According to Indian authorities, Dr. Zahed was eventually cleared for entry, but did not proceed with the visit and returned to Bangladesh.

The adviser had arrived in New Delhi on the evening of June 14 to participate in the two-day IORA meeting, where he was expected to head the Bangladeshi delegation.

Meanwhile, responding to another question regarding recent comments by India’s Ministry of External Affairs on minority issues in Bangladesh, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said every state bears equal responsibility for ensuring the rights and security of all citizens, including minority communities.

The spokesperson reiterated that the Bangladesh government remains firmly committed to protecting the rights and ensuring the safety of all citizens regardless of their religious, ethnic or social background.

The exchange comes at a time when Dhaka and New Delhi are navigating a range of bilateral issues, with both sides continuing diplomatic engagement on regional and multilateral platforms.