Tie up with China, occupy North East if India hits Pak: B'desh ex-general

A former Bangladeshi army officer close to Chief Adviser Yunus urged Dhaka to ally with China and occupy India's Northeast if New Delhi attacks Pakistan in the wake of Pahalgam attack

A former Bangladeshi military officer and close associate of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has stirred controversy by proposing military collaboration with China to "occupy" India's northeastern states - also known as the 'Seven Sisters' - should New Delhi retaliate militarily against Pakistan in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

 

Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, who was appointed by the current interim government to head the National Independent Commission probing the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny, reportedly made the comments in a Facebook post earlier this week.

 

In his post, written in Bengali, Rahman stated: "If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of Northeastern India." He further urged: "I think it is necessary to start discussions with China on a joint military arrangement in this regard."

B'desh govt disowns ex-officer’s comments

The interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus has publicly distanced itself from Rahman’s statements. In a press release issued on Friday, the ministry of foreign affairs declared that the remarks were made in Rahman's personal capacity and did not reflect the official stance of the Bangladesh government. 

 

"The comments do not reflect the position or policies of the government of Bangladesh, and as such, the government neither endorses nor supports such rhetoric in any form or manner," the ministry clarified.

 

The government also appealed to the public and the media to refrain from attributing Rahman’s opinions to the state. According to a report in The Dhaka Tribune, the administration reiterated its commitment to international norms: sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence.

Yunus’ controversial remarks on Northeast

Rahman's remarks come in the wake of an earlier diplomatic brouhaha triggered by comments made by Chief Adviser Yunus during his visit to China in March. Addressing a business gathering, Yunus pointed out the "geographic isolation" of India’s northeastern region, which shares an extensive 1,600-kilometre border with Bangladesh.

 

Yunus said that these states are “landlocked and have no way to reach the ocean except through [Bangladesh].” He also described Bangladesh as the “only guardian” of access to the Indian Ocean in South Asia and invited China to utilise Bangladeshi routes for global trade. 

 

These statements provoked criticism across the political spectrum in India, with many leaders expressing concern over the strategic implications of Yunus’ invitation to Beijing.

India responds by curtailing trade privileges

In a retaliatory move, India in April revoked a special trans-shipment facility that allowed Bangladesh to export goods to regions including the Middle East and Europe using customs posts within India. Only exports to Nepal and Bhutan were exempt from the ban, given those countries' landlocked status and India's obligations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) framework.

 

Previously, Bangladesh had been using Indian ports and airports to ship large portions of its international trade beyond South Asia.

 

Relations between India and Bangladesh have significantly worsened since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August last year. The Yunus-led administration has been criticised for its failure to prevent a surge in attacks on minority communities, particularly Hindus, further straining diplomatic ties with New Delhi.