Dhaka:
A former Bangladesh military officer and shut aide of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has prompt that Dhaka ought to collaborate with China to occupy India’s northeastern states if it assaults Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror assault.
Yunus’ interim authorities on Friday distanced itself from the remarks made by Main Common (Retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman on his social media account.
In a Fb publish on Tuesday, Rahman wrote in Bengali, “If India assaults Pakistan, Bangladesh ought to occupy the seven states of Northeastern India.” “I believe it’s mandatory to start out discussions with China on a joint navy association on this regard,” he added.
Rahman was appointed by the Yunus-led interim authorities in December 2024 because the chairman of the Nationwide Unbiased Fee assigned to analyze the killings within the Bangladesh Rifles revolt of 2009.
Distancing itself from the previous military officer’s remarks, Bangladesh’s Ministry of International Affairs in a media launch on Friday stated, “The feedback don’t replicate the place or insurance policies of the federal government of Bangladesh, and as such, the federal government neither endorses nor helps such rhetoric in any kind or method.” The federal government urged all involved to chorus from associating the state with the private views expressed by Rahman, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
Bangladesh stays firmly dedicated to the ideas of sovereignty, territorial integrity, mutual respect, and the peaceable coexistence of all nations, the ministry stated.
Earlier in March, Chief Adviser Yunus, throughout his go to to China, had remarked that India’s seven northeastern states, which share a virtually 1,600-km border with Bangladesh, are landlocked and haven’t any strategy to attain the ocean besides by means of his nation.
In his handle at a enterprise occasion in China, Yunus stated Dhaka was the “solely guardian” of the Indian Ocean within the area, as he invited Beijing to ship items by means of Bangladesh the world over.
The feedback didn’t go down properly in New Delhi. It additionally drew sharp reactions from political leaders in India throughout social gathering strains.
Days after Yunus’ controversial remarks, India in April withdrew the transhipment facility it had granted to Bangladesh for exporting items to the Center East, Europe and numerous different nations besides Nepal and Bhutan.
Bangladesh has been utilizing a number of Indian ports and airports for its exports to West Asia, Europe, and lots of different nations. India has exempted Bangladeshi exports to Nepal and Bhutan, as such commerce facilitation is obligatory for landlocked nations beneath the framework of provisions of the World Commerce Organisation (WTO).
India-Bangladesh relation has nosedived after Yunus didn’t comprise assaults on minorities, particularly Hindus, in that nation after the autumn of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League authorities in August final 12 months.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)