PM's adviser Zahed stopped at Delhi airport, heads to Dhaka via Colombo
Zahed Ur Rahman was ultimately returning to Bangladesh on a flight via a third country.
PM's Information Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman left for Dhaka from Colombo on a SriLankan Airlines flight this morning (15 June) after being briefly stopped at Delhi airport as his name reportedly appeared on a security-related watchlist.
According to the Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo, the flight was scheduled to arrive in Dhaka before noon, reports Prothom Alo.
Zahed left New Delhi for Colombo on an Air India flight last night. He arrived in the Sri Lankan capital early today and departed for Dhaka at around 8am, according to the daily.
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Government sources in Dhaka said authorities are seeking detailed information about the incident involving the adviser's entry being blocked at Delhi airport.
Zahed had arrived in India as part of a Bangladeshi delegation to attend an official meeting when immigration officials flagged his name during routine checks.
He was subsequently held for verification.
Sources said the issue stemmed from an apparent administrative error. While his name had earlier been removed from a social media-related blacklist, it allegedly remained on an immigration watchlist, triggering the alert upon his arrival.
Although reports said Indian authorities later cleared him after identifying and resolving the discrepancy, Zahed did not continue with the visit and instead headed towards Bangladesh via Colombo.
Zahed was scheduled to participate as a member of the Bangladesh delegation at the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) conference, set to begin today, reports Hindustan Times.
The incident comes at a time when relations between Bangladesh and India remain sensitive amid a range of bilateral issues.
