Assam CM slams Bangladesh advisor's remark on Indian Ocean access

Chief advisor to interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus invited China to expand its presence in Bangladesh, calling it the 'only guardian' of ocean access for India's Northeast region

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday strongly condemned the statement made by chief advisor to interim government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus claiming that Bangladesh is the “only guardian” of the Indian Ocean for the region because India’s northeastern states are ‘landlocked’. Sarma called his comments “offensive”.

 

“The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh’s 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,” Sarma said in a post on X.

 

Muhammad Yunus’s visit to China

 

Yunus made these remarks during his four-day visit to China. During the visit, he invited Beijing to expand its presence in the region and suggested that Bangladesh could be a key gateway to the ocean for India’s northeastern states.

 

 

Furthermore, Yunus encouraged China to establish an economic base in Bangladesh. He stated, “Seven states of India, eastern part of India, called seven sisters ... they are landlocked country, landlocked region of India. 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. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the whole rest of the world,” Younus said.   ALSO READ | Bangladesh benefits from ties with China, want it to enter new phase: Yunus 

 

A ‘persistent vulnerability narrative’

 

Responding to this, Assam CM Sarma said, “This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic ‘chicken’s keck’ corridor. Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically.”

 

Sarma also emphasised the need for better infrastructure. “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. Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation,” he said.

 

Congress criticise Yunus’s remarks

 

Meanwhile, the Congress party also criticised Yunus's remarks. On Monday, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera called his statement "very dangerous" for the security of the Northeast. He accused the government of failing to protect the region, particularly Manipur.

 

"Bangladesh is inviting China to encircle India. This attitude of the Bangladesh government is very dangerous for the security of our Northeast region. The government is not taking care of Manipur, and China has already settled villages in Arunachal,” Khera said in a post in Hindi on X.

 

“Our foreign policy is in such a pathetic state that the country, in whose creation India had a major role, is also today engaged in rallying against us,” he added.