Ex-Bangladeshi Army Officer Sparks Controversy Over Call to “Occupy India’s Northeast”

A retired Bangladeshi military officer has stirred a major diplomatic storm by suggesting that Bangladesh should occupy India’s northeastern states if New Delhi launches an attack on Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The inflammatory remarks have sparked condemnation and a swift response from Bangladesh’s interim government.

Maj Gen (Retd) Fazlur Rahman Calls for Military Alliance with China

Major General (Retired) ALM Fazlur Rahman, a close aide of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, made the provocative remarks in a Facebook post written in Bengali. He also proposed that Bangladesh initiate talks with China to develop a joint military system.

“If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy seven states of North East India,” Rahman wrote, referring to the Seven Sisters—Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.

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Rahman currently serves as Chairperson of the National Independent Commission of Inquiry that investigated the 2009 BDR massacre.

Bangladesh Government Distances Itself from the Comments

Following the uproar, the Interim Government of Bangladesh issued a strong clarification, firmly dissociating itself from the retired officer’s remarks.

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary at the Chief Adviser’s Office, said:

“The comments made by ALM Fazlur Rahman were made in his personal capacity. The Interim Government does not share his views and does not endorse such rhetoric.”

He further reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to peaceful international relations, adding that the country respects the sovereignty and independence of all nations, including India.

Tensions Between India and Bangladesh Already on Edge

The remarks come at a time of strained relations between New Delhi and Dhaka, following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. With regional security dynamics shifting and China increasingly seen as an influential player in South Asia, the statement adds fuel to already rising tensions.

Diplomatic Fallout Expected

India has not yet officially responded to the controversial remarks, but analysts warn that such statements could lead to diplomatic escalations, especially given the sensitive geopolitical positioning of India’s Northeast and Bangladesh’s strategic location between India and China.