Bangladesh today conveyed its deep disappointment to India over the incident involving Prime Minister’s Adviser on Policy and Strategy Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting Dr Zahed Ur Rahman at Delhi airport, summoning the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka.

A foreign ministry official confirmed BSS this afternoon that the ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe and expressed its deep disappointment over the incident.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman described the incident as “unexpected” and “unfortunate”, saying the government was taking appropriate steps regarding the matter.

“It is an unexpected incident, unfortunate, too,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The foreign minister also indicated that the ministry would issue an official statement later in the day clarifying its position.

Dr Zahed Ur Rahman returned home on Monday after being stopped by Indian immigration authorities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday evening when his name was reportedly flagged during a routine security check.

According to diplomatic and media sources, the adviser was questioned and kept waiting for several hours after his name appeared on a watchlist during the screening process.

Although Indian authorities later allowed him to proceed with his visit, he decided to return to Bangladesh instead of continuing his journey, sources said.

The adviser was travelling on a regular Bangladeshi passport with a SAARC visa and was not carrying a diplomatic passport.

As there was no direct flight to Dhaka on Sunday night, he returned home via Colombo.

Dr Zahed had travelled to India to attend the 28th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), being held in New Delhi on June 15-16.

The meeting brought together senior government 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 second-highest decision-making body of IORA and serves as the organisation’s principal coordinating mechanism.