A senior official from Bangladesh, appointed during the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, has stirred controversy by suggesting on Facebook that Bangladesh should seize India’s seven northeastern states if India retaliates against Pakistan for the Pahalgam terror attack. The comment was made by retired Major General ALM Fazlur Rahman, who currently heads the National Independent Commission of Inquiry investigating the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) mutiny. His remarks come amid strained relations between Dhaka and New Delhi following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, last year. 

In a Facebook post written in Bengali on Tuesday, Rahman said, “If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy seven states of North East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China.”

A post got a 'like' from Shahnawaz Khan Chandan, a fellow commission member and former Islamist student group Islami Chhatra Shibir affiliate. As The Print reports, Chandan, now an assistant professor at Jagannath University in Dhaka, is believed to be someone Muhammad Yunus deeply trusts.

The post’s timing is notable, as it coincides with rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the terror attack in Pahalgam. In response, India has taken several decisive actions, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, closing the Attari border post, and reducing diplomatic engagement. At the same time, Bangladesh appears to be strengthening its ties with Pakistan following the departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh and Pakistan recently held their first foreign secretary-level talks in almost 15 years in Dhaka, with discussions centred on bilateral relations and historical matters. This renewed engagement comes after discreet diplomatic efforts, such as easing visa rules and addressing concerns linked to the events of 1971. Although a visit by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is anticipated, it has been delayed due to growing regional uncertainties.

Fazlur Rahman, a former military officer who commanded the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) during the 2001 border clashes with India that left 16 BSF personnel dead, has now been promoted to a post equal to that of a Supreme Court appellate division judge. He has vowed to uncover the “foreign conspiracy” behind the 2009 Pilkhana massacre. Rahman believes the initial investigation into the BDR mutiny hid key facts and stated, “We aim to determine whether any foreign entity was involved in the carnage,” implying possible Indian involvement. His comments are expected to increase tensions with New Delhi, especially following Yunus’s recent statement to Chinese officials claiming that Bangladesh, not India, is the actual gateway to South Asia. 

In a widely circulated video from the meeting, Yunus pointed out, “The eastern part of India, known as the Seven Sisters, is landlocked. They have no access to the ocean. We are the only guardians of the ocean in this region. This opens up huge possibilities.” He further stated that Bangladesh could serve as “an extension of the Chinese economy—building, producing, and marketing goods for China and the world.”