The remarks by Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladesh interim government’s chief advisor, on the Northeastern states have drawn sharp reactions in India. While Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has described the remarks as “offensive”, Congress’s Pawan Khera has said Dhaka’s approach is dangerous for the Northeast and questioned the Centre’s foreign policy.
A video of Mr Yunus’s remarks, apparently made during his four-day trip to China, is doing the rounds on social media. “The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, are called the seven sisters. They are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” he is heard saying. He says Bangladesh is the “guardian of the ocean” for the region. “This opens up a huge possibility. This could be an extension for the Chinese economy,” he said.
The remarks came amid Dhaka’s outreach to Beijing in the aftermath of the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime. India, which has given refuge to the former Prime Minister, has been watching the interim government’s geopolitical moves. Dhaka and Delhi have exchanged stern remarks after India raised concerns over reports of attacks on minorities. In a friendly gesture on Bangladesh’s Liberation Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote to Mr Yunus, reiterating India’s commitment to advancing the partnership between the two countries.
The Bangladesh leader’s remarks have now stoked tensions again. Assam Chief Minister Sarma has hit out at Mr Yunus’s remarks and said it is imperative to develop more robust rail and road networks connecting the Northeast to the rest of the country.
“The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh so called interim Government referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable. This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor.” The Chicken’s Neck Corridor is a stretch of land in West Bengal’s Siliguri which connects the region to the rest of India. Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan surround this stretch.
“Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken’s Neck corridor. Additionally, exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to mainland India, effectively bypassing the Chicken’s Neck, should be prioritised,” Mr Sarma said.
“Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation. Such provocative statements by Md Younis must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas,” he added.
Mr Yunus’ remarks drew a sharp response from Pradyot Manikya, who leads the Tipra Motha party in Tripura. “Time for india to make a route to the ocean by supporting our indigenous people who once ruled Chittagong so we are no longer dependent on an ungrateful regime,” he said. “India’s biggest mistake was to let go of the port in 1947 despite the hill people living there wanting to be a part of the indian union. Mr Yunus may think he is the guardian of the ocean but the reality is he a stop-gap leader at the age of almost 85 . Let’s not forget Tripura is only a few miles away from the port he is speaking away,” he said.
Mr Manikya also responded to Mr Sarma’s infra push suggestion. “Rather than spending billions on innovative and challenging engineering ideas, we might as well break up Bangladesh and have our own access to the sea. The Chittagong hill tracts were always inhabited by indigenous tribes which always wanted to be part of india since 1947. There are lakhs and lakhs of Tripuri , Garo ,Khasi and Chakma people which reside in Bangladesh in terrible conditions in their traditional lands . This should be utilised for our national interest and for their well being,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said Bangladesh was inviting China for a siege of India. “The Bangladesh government’s approach is very dangerous for the safety of our Northeast. The government is not watching Manipur and China has established a village in Arunachal Pradesh. Our foreign policy is in such a deplorable state that the country, for whose creation we played a major role, is now busy trying to surround us,” he said.
Gaurav Gogoi, a senior Congress leader from Assam, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently wrote to Bangladesh, highlighting the “strong ties” between the two nations. “After that Muhammad Yunus’ recent remarks about Northeast India and China are deeply concerning and unacceptable, as they undermine India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Modi’s economy advisory council, questioned why Mr Yunus mentioned the Northeast. “Interesting that Yunus is making a public appeal to the Chinese on the basis that 7 states in India are land-locked. China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of 7 Indian states being landlocked?” he said.
Former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Veena Sikri, also condemned Mr Yunus’ statement. “Very shocking statement by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. He has absolutely no right to make a statement like that. He knows that the northeast is an integral part of India, and we have had very close discussions with the Government of Bangladesh on access by Northeast India to the Bay of Bengal, and there are formal agreements on this,” she told news agency ANI.
