Bangladesh has summoned a senior Indian diplomat in Dhaka to formally protest the treatment of an adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who was reportedly detained and questioned for several hours at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, escalating the latest diplomatic tension between the two neighbouring countries.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman described the incident as “unexpected and unfortunate,”, while the government officially conveyed its concerns to Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe during a meeting held late Monday.
According to Bangladeshi officials, government strategy adviser Zahed Ur Rahman had travelled to New Delhi to attend an international conference when he was stopped by immigration authorities upon arrival. He was questioned for several hours before eventually being cleared to proceed with his visit.
Despite the formal protest from Dhaka, India’s Ministry of External Affairs had not issued any immediate response to the allegations.
The episode comes at a particularly delicate moment in Bangladesh-India relations. Although ties appeared to improve following Tarique Rahman’s electoral victory earlier this year, relations have remained under strain since the 2024 uprising that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power. Hasina has since remained in India despite Bangladesh’s repeated requests for her extradition.
Another major point of contention between the two countries has been Bangladesh’s accusations that Indian authorities have attempted to push undocumented migrants across the border without adhering to established repatriation procedures.
Dhaka has claimed that its border guards recently thwarted several such “push-in” attempts, an issue that was also raised during last week’s meeting between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF) in New Delhi.
Although both sides agreed to strengthen intelligence-sharing and enhance coordination of border patrols, the unresolved migrant issue continues to fuel mistrust and remains one of the most sensitive flashpoints in Bangladesh-India relations.
The Delhi airport incident has now added a fresh layer of uncertainty to an already fragile diplomatic relationship, raising questions about whether the two neighbours can effectively manage their growing list of bilateral disputes.
