Bangladesh Summons Indian Diplomat Over Detaining and Questioning of PM's Adviser at New Delhi Airport

DHAKA, Jun 15:  Bangladesh has formally protested to India after a senior adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s office was reportedly detained and questioned for several hours at New Delhi airport, triggering a new diplomatic dispute between the neighbouring countries.

The Foreign Ministry in Dhaka summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe on June 15 to convey its concerns over the incident, which it described as “unexpected and unfortunate,” according to Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman.

The adviser, identified as government strategy adviser Zahed Ur Rahman, had travelled to New Delhi to attend a conference when he was stopped upon arrival and questioned for several hours before being allowed to proceed, officials said.

There was no immediate response from India’s Ministry of External Affairs regarding the allegations.

The episode comes at a sensitive moment in India–Bangladesh relations, which have experienced both improvement and renewed strain in recent years.

Although bilateral ties improved following Tarique Rahman’s election victory in early 2026, underlying tensions have persisted since the 2024 uprising that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina has since remained in India despite repeated requests from Dhaka for her extradition.

Relations between the two neighbours have also been complicated by disputes over border management and migration, with Bangladesh accusing Indian authorities of attempting to push undocumented migrants across the frontier without following agreed repatriation procedures.

The latest incident is expected to further test diplomatic engagement between Dhaka and New Delhi as both sides navigate a fragile post-crisis regional relationship.

Dhaka said border guards have recently foiled several “push-in” attempts and raised the matter during last week’s talks between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in New Delhi.

While both sides agreed during the discussions to strengthen intelligence sharing and improve coordination of border patrols, the issue of undocumented migration continues to remain a point of friction between the two neighbours.