"India's potential attack on Pakistan prompts a contentious comment from Yunus' assistant: proposed Bangladesh invasion"
In a jaw-dropping statement, a retired Bangladesh army officer and confidant of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus proposed an eyebrow-raising idea on his Facebook account on Thursday—Bangladesh teaming up with China to take over India's northeastern states if India launches a retaliatory attack on Pakistan following the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, India, that left more than two dozen lives in ruins.
However, on Friday, Yunus' interim government emphatically distanced itself from these contentious remarks made by Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman on his social media platform. In a Facebook post, Rahman wrote in Bengali, "If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of Northeastern India." He further suggested that discussions with China on a joint military arrangement should be initiated in this scenario.
Yunus, who became the chairman of the National Independent Commission to investigate the Bangladesh Rifles revolt of 2009 in December 2024, as per the Yunus-led interim government, clearly distanced himself from Rahman's comments. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Friday, stating, "The comments do not reflect the position or policies of the government of Bangladesh, and therefore, the government neither endorses nor supports such rhetoric in any form or manner."
In a viral video, Yunus had previously garnered attention for his remarks in China, urging the Chinese government to expand their economic reach to Bangladesh. He highlighted the strategic importance of Bangladesh as the sole protector of the ocean in the region, teasing the idea of an extension of China's economy in the seven states of India, which are often referred to as the Seven Sisters and are landlocked.
These incendiary comments didn't sit well with political leaders across the spectrum in India. Following Yunus' inflammatory remarks, India decided to withdraw the transhipment facility it had granted to Bangladesh in April for exporting goods to the Middle East, Europe, and various other countries, except for Nepal and Bhutan.
Bangladesh, despite increasing its ties with China through economically and strategically significant partnerships, has repeatedly asserted its commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful coexistence. This suggests that such aggressive actions might not align with its formal foreign policy stance. However, there seems to be a growing dissatisfaction with India among the Bangladeshi population, particularly over issues related to water management and trade. The overall stance of the Bangladesh government regarding a collaboration with China to occupy India's northeastern states remains uncertain and in dispute.
- Major General (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, a confidant of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, suggested in a Facebook post on Thursday that if India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of Northeastern India, and he further proposed discussions with China on a joint military arrangement in such a scenario.
- In response to Rahman's contentious remarks, Yunus' interim government distanced itself from the proposals, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a statement on Friday stating that the comments do not reflect the position or policies of the government of Bangladesh.
- The incendiary comments made by Yunus in China, urging the Chinese government to expand their economic reach to Bangladesh, also did not sit well with political leaders in India, leading to India decision to withdraw the transhipment facility it had granted to Bangladesh for exporting goods to various countries.
- Despite increasing its ties with China through economically and strategically significant partnerships, Bangladesh has repeatedly asserted its commitment to the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful coexistence, which raises questions about its formal foreign policy stance regarding collaborating with China to occupy India's northeastern states.
