News Desk
NEW DELHI — In a region shadowed by geopolitical fault lines, India has long been a steady hand, extending goodwill to its neighbors even amid turbulence. Yet, Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, seems determined to test that patience, igniting a diplomatic firestorm with reckless remarks that underscore his apparent ignorance of the delicate balance underpinning South Asia’s stability. His comments, made during a recent visit to China, not only mischaracterize India’s Northeast but also threaten to unravel decades of New Delhi’s neighborly generosity toward Dhaka—a relationship forged in the crucible of Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation, which India helped secure at great cost.
The latest flare-up stems from Mr. Yunus’s assertion that India’s Northeastern states—known as the “Seven Sisters”—are “landlocked” and reliant on Bangladesh as their “only guardian of the ocean.” Speaking in Beijing, where he secured a $2.1 billion financial package and signed nine agreements, the Nobel laureate pitched his country as a gateway for China’s economic ambitions, effectively dangling India’s strategic vulnerability as bait. The remarks, delivered with a startling lack of diplomatic finesse, drew a swift and sharp rebuke from India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, who highlighted India’s pivotal role in the Bay of Bengal and its 6,500-kilometer coastline—hardly the profile of a nation at Bangladesh’s mercy.
India’s response was not just a defense of geography but a pointed reminder of its goodwill. For years, New Delhi has invested in Bangladesh’s stability, offering trade access, infrastructure support, and security cooperation. Under the ousted Sheikh Hasina government, India secured use of Chittagong Port, a mere 75 kilometers from Tripura, easing logistics for its Northeast—a gesture of trust that Mr. Yunus now seems eager to exploit rather than honor. “We are conscious that our cooperation and facilitation are an essential prerequisite for the smooth flow of goods, services, and people in this larger geography,” Mr. Jaishankar said, speaking at a BIMSTEC ministerial meeting. His words underscored India’s commitment to regional connectivity, a stark contrast to Bangladesh’s apparent pivot toward provocation.
The timing of Mr. Yunus’s comments could not be worse. India’s Northeast, tethered to the rest of the country by the narrow Siliguri Corridor—nicknamed the “Chicken’s Neck”—is a geopolitical linchpin, its security heightened by frosty ties with China since the 2017 Doklam standoff. That 20-kilometer-wide strip, flanked by Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, has haunted Indian strategists since the 1962 war with China exposed its vulnerability. Mr. Yunus’s suggestion that Bangladesh holds the keys to this region’s fate was met with outrage in the Northeast, where leaders like Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, called it “offensive” and “strongly condemnable.” Mr. Sarma warned of “deeper strategic considerations,” urging bolstered infrastructure to shield the corridor from external meddling.
India’s leaders see the bigger picture. Far from being a passive player, the country has poured resources into making its Northeast a connectivity hub, weaving a network of roads, railways, and waterways that link it to BIMSTEC nations—Bangladesh included. Mr. Jaishankar emphasized this vision, noting India’s borders with five of the group’s members and its role as a bridge to ASEAN. Yet, Mr. Yunus’s remarks suggest a troubling naiveté, if not outright opportunism, as he cozies up to Beijing at a time when Bangladesh’s interim government struggles for legitimacy after Ms. Hasina’s ouster last year.
Dhaka’s shift is a bitter pill for India, which has weathered the storm of deteriorating ties since the regime change. New Delhi voiced concerns over attacks on Bangladesh’s minorities—particularly Hindus—only to face stern rebuttals from Mr. Yunus’s administration. Despite this, India has kept channels open, offering visas (albeit cautiously) and maintaining trade lifelines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi even extended a conciliatory note on Bangladesh’s Liberation Day, reaffirming a partnership “guided by shared aspirations for peace, stability, and prosperity.” Mr. Yunus, however, appears tone-deaf to this olive branch, his China visit amplifying fears that Bangladesh is drifting into Beijing’s orbit—potentially at India’s expense.
The interim leader’s diplomatic misstep is all the more glaring given India’s historical largesse. From aiding Bangladesh’s birth to supporting its economic rise, New Delhi has been a steadfast ally. Ms. Hasina’s tenure saw trade flourish and insurgent threats quashed, cementing a bond that Mr. Yunus now risks squandering. His suggestion that Bangladesh could leverage the “Chicken’s Neck” for China’s gain ignores the mutual benefits of good neighborliness—benefits India has consistently championed, even as Dhaka’s new rulers flirt with rival powers.
As the BIMSTEC summit unfolds in Bangkok this week, India stands poised to reinforce its regional leadership, a role Mr. Yunus would do well to respect rather than undermine. His ignorance of diplomacy—evident in his provocative rhetoric—casts a shadow over Bangladesh’s credibility, while India’s measured restraint and proactive vision shine as a beacon of stability. For a nation that owes its very existence to India’s support, Dhaka’s current course is not just shortsighted; it’s a betrayal of a friendship that has endured far greater tests than this.
