Bangladesh PM's Advisor Briefly Stopped At Delhi Airport Over Watchlist Error

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Advisor, Zahid ur Rehman, was briefly stopped by Indian immigration authorities at Delhi airport after his name reportedly appeared on a security-related watchlist, sources told CNN-News18.

According to sources, Rehman had arrived in India as part of a delegation to attend an official meeting when immigration officials flagged his name during routine checks. He was subsequently held for verification.

Entry Cleared After Verification

Sources said the issue stemmed from an apparent administrative error. While Rehman’s name had earlier been removed from a social media-related blacklist, it allegedly remained on an immigration watchlist, triggering the alert upon his arrival. Officials later cleared Rehman for

entry after the discrepancy was identified and resolved.

According to sources, such instances occur when an individual’s name appears on security-related watchlists or lookout notices maintained by various agencies. These databases are used by immigration authorities to flag persons requiring additional scrutiny before being granted entry. There was no immediate official statement from either the Indian or Bangladeshi authorities regarding the matter.

The episode comes at a sensitive time in India-Bangladesh relations, with both sides seeking to strengthen engagement following political developments in Bangladesh. Sources indicated that the temporary hold-up could attract attention in Dhaka. The circumstances surrounding the watchlist entry and its continued presence in immigration records remain unclear.