Muhammad Yunus, the interim head of Bangladesh, has ignited a fresh controversy by gifting a map depicting Northeast India as part of "Greater Bangladesh" to a Pakistani general. The incident, which occurred during a meeting with Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairperson, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, in Dhaka over the weekend, has triggered outrage and accusations of encroaching on India's sovereignty.
The controversial map was featured on the cover of a book titled 'Art of Triumph,' which Yunus presented to Gen. Mirza. The map seemingly portrays India's seven northeastern states – Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland – as belonging to Bangladesh, echoing the "Greater Bangladesh" narrative often pushed by radical Islamist groups.
The meeting between Yunus and Gen. Mirza took place against the backdrop of warming relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan, which have historically been strained since the 1971 Liberation War. According to the Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh, the discussions covered a range of issues, including the growing importance of bilateral trade, investment, and defense cooperation.
This is not the first time Yunus has courted controversy regarding India's northeast region. During a visit to China in April 2025, he asserted that Bangladesh was the "only guardian of the ocean" for the region, describing the northeastern Indian states as "landlocked". He also encouraged China to expand its influence and bolster its economy in the region. These remarks drew strong criticism from India, and the government reportedly cancelled a transhipment agreement that allowed Bangladeshi goods to pass through Indian territory to Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.
Tensions further escalated in May 2025 when a close aide of Yunus, Major General (retd) Fazlur Rahman, suggested that Bangladesh should collaborate with China to occupy India's northeastern states if India attacked Pakistan. This statement followed a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. In 2024, another associate of Yunus, Nahidul Islam, shared a "Greater Bangladesh" map that included parts of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam, further fueling the controversy. That post was eventually deleted after widespread condemnation.
Yunus's recent actions and statements have been interpreted by some as a deliberate attempt to undermine India's territorial integrity and leverage regional dynamics amid Bangladesh's growing ties with China and Pakistan. The timing of the incident is also significant, as it comes amid strained relations between India and Bangladesh since Yunus assumed charge in August 2024. Since then, Bangladesh has been seeking closer engagement with Pakistan and China.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation on social media, with many criticizing Yunus for interfering in India's sovereign matters. As of October 27, 2025, India's Ministry of External Affairs has not yet issued an official response to the controversy.
