Dhaka: Bangladesh on Monday, June 15, summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner and conveyed its “deep disappointment” over an incident involving an adviser of the Prime Minister at the Delhi airport, according to media reports here.
Dr Zahed Ur Rahman, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Policy and Strategy Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting, was stopped by immigration authorities at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sunday evening when his name was reportedly flagged during a routine security check, state-run BSS news agency reported.
Citing a foreign ministry official, the news agency said that the ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe and expressed its “deep disappointment” over the incident.
Separately, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman said that the government was taking appropriate steps regarding the matter.
“It is an unexpected incident, unfortunate, too,” he told reporters.
Citing diplomatic sources, the Prothom Alo newspaper reported that Zahed, who was travelling to India to attend the 28th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, was questioned by immigration authorities and kept waiting for about two and a half hours.
Although Indian authorities later allowed him to proceed with his visit, he decided to return home, BSS said, citing sources.
The adviser was travelling on a regular Bangladeshi passport with a SAARC visa and was not carrying a diplomatic passport.
