‘Bangladesh PM aide chose to return to Dhaka on his own volition’: MEA on Delhi airport detention

Responding to questions during the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Rahman arrived in India on a private passport with a SAARC visa and was questioned by immigration officials before being cleared for entry.

“He arrived on a private passport with a SAARC visa. He was queried by officials at Delhi airport and subsequently permitted entry. But he chose to return to Dhaka on his own volition,” Jaiswal said.

Adviser was held for verification at Delhi airport

The clarification came after Rahman returned to Bangladesh following what Dhaka described as “humiliating treatment” by Indian authorities. Rahman was stopped for verification after arriving at Delhi airport on June 14 because of his history of critical comments on India-related issues. Reports also suggested that his name appeared on an Indian watchlist and that he had travelled on an ordinary passport instead of a diplomatic one.

Rahman was reportedly held for around two-and-a-half hours at the airport. Although Indian authorities later cleared his entry into the country, he decided not to continue with his visit and returned to Dhaka.

Bangladesh protests incident

This instance also led Bangladesh to summon a senior Indian diplomat on Monday. Dhaka called the incident as harassment by Indian authorities, though Rahman said his decision to return was intended as a protest against the treatment he received.

Speaking at a press conference at Bangladesh’s Secretariat, Rahman said he had travelled to India in his official capacity and not as a private citizen.

“I did not go there in a personal capacity. I went as a representative of the state. Therefore, I felt that we needed to make an instant protest against what happened to me there,” he said.

Rahman says incident should not affect ties

Rahman said he did not want the episode to damage relations between India and Bangladesh. “We do not want a bad situation with any country under any circumstances. I hope this incident will not affect future relations between the two countries,” he said.

He also stressed that Bangladesh did not seek hostility with any nation and hoped the matter would not escalate into a broader diplomatic dispute.

In an apparent effort to ease tensions, Rahman said he would have no objection to visiting India again if all necessary procedures were followed properly. “We are an independent and sovereign state, and a government with massive public support is in power here,” he said.