Despite carrying an ordinary passport, Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Jahed demanded diplomatic protocol privilege

Special Correspondent

Delhi, 15 June 2026

Zahed Ur Rahman, information advisor to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, initially faced entry restrictions while attending a meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in the Indian capital Delhi. Although he was later granted permission by higher authorities, he decided not to enter India and returned to Dhaka via Colombo, Sri Lanka.

According to reports in several media outlets, including Prothom Alo, Zahed Ur Rahman arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday evening. He was scheduled to lead the Bangladesh delegation to a two-day meeting of senior officials of the Indian Ocean Region (IORA). The organization is an intergovernmental forum of 23 member states in the Indian Ocean Region, where trade, investment, blue economy and maritime security are discussed. Bangladesh has been an active member since its inception and once served as the chairman.

The root cause of the incident

However, complications arose at the airport when Zahed Ur Rahman used an ordinary citizen passport instead of a diplomatic passport. Immigration authorities questioned him. Indian sources said that for the past few years, Zahed Ur Rahman’s YouTube channel has been accused of critical statements and propaganda against the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Due to this, his channel was banned in India and he was put on the immigration watchlist.

Role of the Bangladesh High Commission

Although Bangladesh High Commissioner M Riaz Hamidullah was present at the airport, he was allegedly not involved in resolving the complications. After some questioning, he was allowed to enter with the intervention of high-ranking officials. But Zahed Ur Rahman decided to return to Dhaka via Colombo instead of going to India.

This incident has raised questions in the diplomatic circles of the two countries. Why did a government advisor use a regular passport for an official visit? There have also been doubts as to whether there was any premeditated plan behind the High Commissioner’s silence. On the other hand, there is also discussion about the bona fide intentions of Zahed Ur Rahman’s visit due to his past statements and anti-India stance.

There has been no official statement from either the Bangladesh or Indian governments on the matter. The incident has sparked fresh discussions in the context of diplomatic relations between the two countries.