Bangladesh NSA Khalilur Rahman Visits India Ahead of Colombo Security Conclave.
Amid delicate bilateral ties, Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, a close aide of interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, arrived in India to attend the 7th meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in New Delhi. Rahman’s visit is one of the highest-level engagements from Bangladesh since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024.
Rahman landed a day before the conclave, which brings together top security officials from member states, including India, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, with Seychelles as an observer and Malaysia invited as a guest. The CSC provides a platform for cooperation on maritime security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, transnational crime, and humanitarian assistance in the Indian Ocean region.
Dhaka said the visit came at the invitation of India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Analysts see the move as a signal that both nations remain engaged in dialogue, especially following Hasina’s death row conviction while living in exile in Delhi.
The visit follows recent high-level engagements between Bangladesh and Pakistan, including a visit by Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. India has expressed strategic concerns over Bangladesh’s recent defence initiatives, including plans to revive the Lalmonirhat airbase near the Siliguri Corridor in West Bengal.
The two-day conclave will review cooperation under pillars such as maritime safety, counterterrorism, transnational crime, cybersecurity, and disaster relief, while finalizing the roadmap and action plan for 2026.
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