Bangladesh’s interim chief Muhammad Yunus has sparked fresh controversy after gifting a book to Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairperson General Sahir Shamshad Mirza that appeared to depict parts of India’s northeastern states as Bangladeshi territory.
The incident occurred during General Mirza’s official visit to Dhaka over the weekend, amid a growing thaw in Bangladesh–Pakistan relations. Yunus shared photos of the meeting on social media, showing him presenting a book titled Art of Triumph to the visiting general. One image, which prominently displayed the book’s cover, triggered outrage for featuring a distorted map of Bangladesh including Assam and other northeastern regions of India.
This depiction aligns with the “Greater Bangladesh” narrative pushed by radical Islamist groups.
Listen India,
If you dream of a So Called Akhand Bharat & Interfere in Bangladesh Internal Affairs, then Bangladesh will also dream of a Greater Bangladesh.The difference between you and us is that you dream and we will implement it.
Mind It. pic.twitter.com/99ySD1UWdU
— Md Fardin Karim (@MdFardinKarim) October 29, 2025
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not yet commented on the incident. Meanwhile, some pro-Bangladeshi social media users claimed that the image was being misinterpreted and that the cover depicted an artistic rendition of the Bangladesh national flag, not a map.
Visit Marks Deepening Dhaka–Islamabad Engagement
General Mirza’s visit is seen as the latest step in the renewed Bangladesh–Pakistan rapprochement since Yunus assumed charge in August 2024, following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League amid student protests. Mirza, who also met Bangladesh’s Navy and Air Force chiefs, discussed bilateral investment, military cooperation, and connectivity.
Analysts have noted that under Yunus, Dhaka has been seeking closer engagement with Islamabad. Over the past year, multiple Pakistani defense delegations have visited Bangladesh, and Pakistani officials no longer require prior security clearance or visas to enter the country. Dhaka has also launched direct maritime trade routes with Pakistan and plans to open a Dhaka–Karachi flight route in the coming months. Trade curbs and inspections on Pakistani goods have similarly been relaxed.
Yunus’s Repeated Remarks on India’s Northeast
This is not the first time Yunus has drawn attention for his comments about India’s northeastern states.
During his April 2025 visit to China, Yunus described India’s northeast as “landlocked” and called Bangladesh the “only guardian of the ocean for the entire region.” Speaking before Chinese officials, he said, “The seven states of India, the eastern part of India… they are a landlocked country. They have no way to reach out to the ocean. We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So, this opens up a huge possibility. This could be an extension of the Chinese economy.”
The remarks were widely seen as a signal encouraging Chinese strategic expansion into India’s northeast, and they drew a sharp response from New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reaffirmed that the region is a strategic hub for India and central to BIMSTEC connectivity. India also cancelled a transshipment agreement allowing Bangladeshi cargo transit through Indian territory to Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar, citing security concerns.
Pattern of Provocative Statements
Tensions escalated further in May 2025, when Yunus’s close aide, Major General (retd) Fazlur Rahman, suggested that Bangladesh should collaborate with China to “occupy” India’s northeastern states if India attacked Pakistan. The remark followed the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
In 2024, another Yunus associate, Nahidul Islam, shared a “Greater Bangladesh” map online that included West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam within Bangladeshi borders.
Despite these incidents, Yunus has not condemned or distanced himself from the statements, fueling suspicion about his political motives and Bangladesh’s shifting regional alignment.
Regional and Strategic Implications
Analysts warn that the Yunus government’s warming ties with both Pakistan and China could have security implications for India’s northeast, given the long and porous border shared with Bangladesh. India’s Chief of Defence Staff recently cautioned about an emerging China–Pakistan–Bangladesh nexus, noting that such a convergence could “pose a challenge to New Delhi.”
(Source: India Today)
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