Indian envoy summoned, FM terms it ‘unfortunate’

The government on Monday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka after Prime Minister's Policy and Strategy Affairs Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman returned home from New Delhi following an immigration-related incident at Delhi airport.

It was learned that Dr Zahed had travelled on a regular Bangladeshi passport with a SAARC visa and was not carrying a diplomatic passport.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe and expressed dissatisfaction and discussed the matter after Dr Zahed was stopped by Indian immigration authorities in Delhi airport on Sunday evening when Dr Zahed’s name was flagged during a security check.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman described the incident as "unfortunate" and said the government was taking appropriate steps.

"It is an unexpected incident, unfortunate, too," he told reporters at the foreign ministry, adding that an official statement would be issued later.

According to diplomatic and media sources, Dr Zahed was questioned and kept waiting after his name appeared on a watch-list during routine screening at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Officials said the adviser was travelling on a regular Bangladeshi passport carrying a SAARC visa and was not in possession of a diplomatic passport.

Although Indian authorities later cleared him to enter the country, Dr Zahed decided not to continue with the visit and returned to Bangladesh instead, sources said.

Indian news portal CNN-News18 reported that he was "briefly stopped" after his name appeared on a security-related watch-list.

 The report said immigration officials held him for verification before allowing his entry following intervention.

Dr Zahed returned to Bangladesh on Monday. As there was no direct flight to Dhaka on Sunday night, he travelled back via Colombo.

Sources said Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah had gone to the airport on Sunday afternoon to receive him.
Dr Zahed was travelling to India to attend the 28th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), held on June 15-16 and hosted by India's Ministry of External Affairs.

The meeting brought together senior officials from IORA member states to review progress, discuss regional priorities and advance cooperation across the Indian Ocean region under the theme "Innovation, Openness, Resilience and Adaptability". The CSO is the organisation's second-highest decision-making body and its principal coordinating mechanism.