Dhaka Summons Indian Envoy, Protests Entry Block of PM Adviser at Delhi Airport

Escalating diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring nations, the Bangladesh government on Monday lodged a "strong protest" with the Indian High Commission in Dhaka after Delhi immigration authorities stranded Prime Minister’s Adviser Zahed-ur-Rahman at the airport for hours on Sunday.

In a direct diplomatic response, officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Indian Acting High Commissioner Pawan Badhe to the state guesthouse Padma on Monday afternoon. 

Dhaka has demanded a full explanation for the obstructions created by Indian authorities regarding the Adviser’s entry, especially since Bangladesh had formally informed New Delhi of his arrival beforehand.

The incident took place at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday evening, where Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman was scheduled to lead the Bangladeshi delegation at the two-day, high-level 28th meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). 

Despite the Indian authorities being fully alerted about his travel plans, immigration officials flagged his name during a security check and left him stranded for 2.5 hours without providing any specific reason, subjecting him to what sources close to the Adviser described as "undue harassment".

Although immigration officials eventually allowed Dr. Zahed to enter the country on orders from top authorities, the Adviser chose to decline entry. 

Instead, he decided to return to Dhaka via Sri Lanka, arriving back home at noon on Monday aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight. 
It was later confirmed that Dr. Zahed was not carrying a diplomatic passport for this visit, but was traveling on a standard Bangladeshi green passport equipped with a valid SAARC visa sticker.

The interim period saw high-level reactions from Dhaka's foreign ministry. 

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman described the detention and entry denial as both "unfortunate" and "unexpected". 

Speaking to reporters at the ministry, he noted that the incident involving the Prime Minister’s Adviser was "unexpected" and also "grievous," adding that the government was considering the matter with the utmost seriousness and would issue an official statement detailing its formal stance later in the day.

Echoing these concerns, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed also told reporters that Sunday's incident at the Delhi international airport was "in no way expected". 

She emphasized that the government will decide on appropriate measures in response to the incident only after learning the full extent of what had transpired. 

As of now, neither Dhaka nor New Delhi has issued a definitive state-level comment clarifying the exact reason behind the security flag.

The high-level regional IORA meeting, hosted by India from June 15 to 16 under the central theme of "Innovation, Openness, Resilience & Adaptability," brings together senior government officials from all member states to review regional priorities and advance maritime and economic cooperation. 

The Committee of Senior Officials serves as the second-highest decision-making and primary coordinating body within the framework of IORA, holding the responsibility of submitting strategic recommendations directly to the Council of Ministers (COM) for final approval.