Close Associate of Yunus Arrives in India Following Hasina’s Death Sentence

Bangladesh NSA Khalilur Rahman Visits India Ahead of Colombo Security Conclave.

Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, a close aide of interim government chief Muhammad Yunus, arrived in New Delhi to attend the 7th Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) meeting, marking one of the highest-level visits from Dhaka since Sheikh Hasina’s government fell in August 2024.

Rahman’s visit, at the invitation of India’s NSA Ajit Doval, comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows Hasina’s death row conviction while living in exile in Delhi. Analysts say the trip signals that dialogue between the two countries continues despite recent strains.

The CSC brings together NSAs from India, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, with Seychelles observing and Malaysia invited as a guest. The two-day conclave will review cooperation on maritime security, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, transnational crime, and disaster relief, and discuss the roadmap for 2026.

Rahman’s visit comes after high-level engagements between Bangladesh and Pakistan, raising strategic concerns in India, including over the revival of the Lalmonirhat airbase near the Siliguri Corridor.