Retired Bangladeshi General Suggests Occupying India’s Northeast if Pakistan is Attacked; Sparks Diplomatic Firestorm
Dhaka/New Delhi: In an explosive and provocative statement, retired Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman of Bangladesh has suggested that his country should invade and occupy India’s seven northeastern states if New Delhi launches a military strike against Pakistan. The comments, made via a Facebook post in Bengali, have drawn widespread condemnation and threaten to further strain India-Bangladesh relations.
Rahman, who formerly led the Bangladesh Rifles (now Border Guard Bangladesh) and is reportedly close to current Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, stated that Bangladesh should not remain neutral in the event of an India-Pakistan conflict. Instead, he proposed aggressive military action in coordination with China.
“If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh will have to occupy seven states of northeast India. In this regard, I feel it is necessary to start discussions on joint military arrangement with China,” Rahman posted.
This remark follows a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people were killed. The incident has escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, and Rahman’s comments have only added fuel to the fire.
Regional Tensions Escalate
His statement comes at a delicate time when New Delhi and Dhaka have been attempting to restore ties that deteriorated following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who reportedly sought asylum in India amid a crackdown on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Rahman’s comments echo earlier controversial remarks made by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus during his March visit to China. Yunus questioned the sovereignty of India’s northeastern region, describing the seven landlocked states — known as the “Seven Sisters” — as economically isolated and dependent on Bangladesh for access to the ocean.
“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,” Yunus stated. “Bangladesh is the only guardian of the ocean in this region. This could be a massive opportunity, an extension of the Chinese economy.”
India Responds Strongly
Indian leaders across the political spectrum have condemned the remarks. BJP leaders have called them “delusional” and “a direct threat to India’s sovereignty.” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in April, made what appeared to be a thinly-veiled response to Yunus, asserting that “territorial integrity and mutual respect” are non-negotiable pillars of regional cooperation.
Analysts fear that these provocative statements may sabotage recent diplomatic efforts and trigger a realignment in regional geopolitics, particularly if Bangladesh moves closer to China’s orbit.
India has not issued an official diplomatic protest yet, but sources within the Ministry of External Affairs suggest that a formal demarche may be considered.
