Amid strained ties, Bangladesh's National Security Adviser (NSA) Khalilur Rahman, a close aide of interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, is visiting India to participate in a regional security conclave. Rahman's visit marks one of the most important visits by a member of the Bangladesh establishment since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024.
Rahman landed in Delhi a day before his scheduled visit to attend the meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC). Bangladesh watchers believe that the move indicates that both nations are engaged in dialogue, especially after the recent death row conviction of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is living in exile in Delhi.
Dhaka, in a statement, said that the National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had extended the invitation to Rahman to attend the regional forum.
The visit comes after Bangladesh saw visits by top military officials from Pakistan, including Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. Rahman, an influential figure in current Bangladeshi power circles, has been present at these meetings.
The move was seen by Delhi as Muhammad Yunus' preferential treatment of Pakistan over India in areas of bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation.
Bangladesh's moves in recent times have been worrisome for India, especially its plans to revive the Lalmonirhat airbase, which is located 20 kilometres from the Indian border in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district. The airbase's proximity to India's Siliguri Corridor – popularly known as the "Chicken's Neck" – has led to strategic concerns, especially with irresponsible statements from the top echelons of the Bangladesh establishment.
About The Colombo Security Conclave
The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a regional platform that was formed to promote closer cooperation between member states on vital matters of security and to strengthen partnerships for enhancing regional security in the Indian Ocean region.
The 7th Meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of the CSC will be held in New Delhi on Thursday.
NSA Ajit Doval will host his counterparts from member states, including Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Seychelles is also participating in the meeting as an observer state, while Malaysia has been invited as a guest.
Bangladesh was officially welcomed in 2024 as the fifth member state of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), a grouping that includes India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Maldives.
"The 7th Meeting of the NSAs will be an opportunity for the participants to review the activities under the different pillars of cooperation, namely Maritime Safety and Security, Countering Terrorism and Radicalisation, Combating Transnational Organised Crime, Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, and discuss the Roadmap and Action Plan for 2026," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The two-day gathering will bring together top security officials from member and observer states of the CSC - a regional initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on maritime security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and transnational crime across the Indian Ocean region. The CSC's core objective is to promote regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges of common concern to the Member States.
