Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said Bangladesh does not want to escalate the controversy surrounding his recent experience at New Delhi airport, but stressed that the country would not compromise its dignity in dealing with any state.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday at the Secretariat, Zahed said the government had deliberately avoided taking steps that could further worsen the situation following his decision to return home after being held for nearly two hours by Indian immigration authorities at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday.

“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. That is why I decided to return,” he told reporters.

“We actually do not want to escalate this any further,” he said, adding that Bangladesh could have considered stronger measures but chose not to do so.

Referring to the government’s response, he said the issue had become one of national dignity.

“I repeat, this is not only about India. Bangladesh will not sacrifice its dignity in engagement with any country,” he said.

The adviser said Bangladesh seeks constructive relations with all countries, including India, but such engagement must be based on mutual respect.

He said countries should engage with governments that have received a popular mandate.

At the briefing at the , Zahed said he had travelled to India to lead a Bangladeshi delegation to an Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) event. 

He was carrying an ordinary Bangladeshi passport with a SAARC visa and had entered the regular immigration queue upon arrival.

According to him, immigration officials delayed processing his entry and asked him to wait while they carried out checks. Although Indian authorities later attempted to facilitate his entry, he decided to return home as a form of protest.

Zahed said he viewed the matter not as a personal inconvenience but as an issue involving the dignity of the Bangladeshi state.

“I am not an individual in this context. I hold a position in the state,” he said, explaining why he chose not to proceed with the visit.

He also rejected suggestions that the incident should damage future Bangladesh-India engagement, saying cooperation between neighbouring countries remained important.

Saying he would definitely visit the country if invited, he added: “We want to engage with India logically and rationally.”

At the same time, he said Dhaka wanted greater engagement with New Delhi, including in trade, exchanges and discussions on shared issues such as water-sharing arrangements.

The adviser expressed hope that the incident would not negatively affect future interactions between the two countries.

Indian media outlet CNN-News18 reported that Zahed's name had appeared on a security watchlist during routine screening and that he was later cleared for entry. 

Zahed said he had not been officially informed of the reason for the delay.

Zahed had declined to enter India and returned to Bangladesh via Colombo after what he described as an “embarrassing” experience at Delhi airport.

Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe following the incident. 

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman described the incident as "regretful" and said Bangladesh expected clarification from Indian authorities. 

The incident has also focused attention on diplomatic procedures governing visits by senior foreign officials.

Although Zahed was travelling on an ordinary passport, he serves as an adviser to the prime minister and holds status equivalent to that of a state minister.

In such cases, diplomatic missions often notify the host country's foreign ministry in advance through a formal diplomatic note outlining the official's designation, purpose of visit and travel schedule.

Such notifications are typically circulated among relevant agencies, including immigration and security authorities, to facilitate protocol arrangements upon arrival.

It remains unclear whether the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi formally communicated details of Zahed's visit to India's Ministry of External Affairs before his arrival.

Neither the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry nor the High Commission has publicly clarified whether such notification was issued.

Diplomatic observers note that if advance notification was provided and the delay still occurred, questions would arise regarding the handling of the matter by Indian authorities. Conversely, if no formal notification was sent, attention could shift to whether standard diplomatic procedures were fully observed before the visit.

The episode comes at a sensitive time in Bangladesh-India relations, which remain closely intertwined through trade, security cooperation, connectivity and regional diplomacy.