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Bangladesh today described India’s explanation for the return of Prime Minister’s Adviser on Policy and Strategic Affairs Dr Zahed Ur Rahman from New Delhi as “unsatisfactory”, calling the incident at Delhi airport “unwanted and regrettable”.
“The Indian authorities were duly informed in advance through diplomatic channels that Dr Zahed would lead the Bangladesh delegation to the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) meeting. The incident involving him at Delhi airport is unwanted and regrettable,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.
The spokesperson said the remarks made by the official spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding the incident had been noted.
Responding to remarks made by India’s MEA concerning minorities in Bangladesh, the foreign ministry spokesperson said Bangladesh believes that every state bears an equal responsibility to protect and ensure the rights and security of all citizens, including minorities, residing within its territory.On minority issues, the MEA spokesperson said India had seen reports from Bangladesh of alleged desecration of Hindu deities and their images, which later sparked protests.
“Our view, and indeed our expectation, is that the government of Bangladesh will take effective measures to rein in extremist elements and ensure the safety and security of the minority communities living in the country,” the MEA spokesperson told reporters in New Delhi.
India on Tuesday acknowledged that Dr Zahed was questioned by immigration officials at Delhi airport and subsequently permitted entry after officials reconfirmed that the purpose of his visit was to attend a multilateral meeting.
“He, however, chose to return to Dhaka of his own volition,” official spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal told reporters during a regular media briefing in New Delhi.
Jaiswal said the adviser arrived in India on June 14 on a private passport with a SAARC visa to attend the 28th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
On June 16, Dr Zahed said he decided to return home from New Delhi as an immediate protest, stressing that this was a government with an overwhelming majority and popular mandate, not the Sheikh Hasina government.
“I did not go there as an individual; I went as a representative of the government. Therefore, what happened to me there required an immediate protest … just to send a message that I was maltreated and was not treated appropriately. That is why I decided to return,” he told reporters at a press conference.
He said that after a certain point, the Indian authorities made repeated and sincere efforts to persuade him to enter the country and continue with his scheduled engagements.
“As the PM’s adviser, I felt that there should be a clear position or signal from the state or the government regarding the incident,” he added.
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