Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has stirred a major controversy after presenting a disputed map to Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairperson General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, showing India’s northeastern states as part of Bangladesh. The meeting, held in Dhaka over the weekend during the general’s visit, has triggered a diplomatic dispute between the two neighbours. Photos from the meeting showed Yunus gifting a book titled ‘Art of Triumph’, with a cover that displayed the controversial map.

The move comes at a time when ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan appear to be improving, but it has sparked strong criticism online and raised new concerns over regional peace and stability.

The cover of the book given by Yunus to General Mirza showed Assam and other northeastern Indian states inside Bangladesh’s borders, echoing the idea of a “Greater Bangladesh”. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has not yet commented on the matter.

This incident follows a series of statements and actions by Yunus that have questioned India’s sovereignty and added strain to bilateral relations. During his official visit to China in April, Yunus remarked, “The seven states of India, the eastern part of India... they are a landlocked country. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” and continued, “We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. So this opens up a huge possibility. So this could be an extension of the Chinese economy.” These comments were taken very seriously in New Delhi.

The situation worsened after Yunus’s associates began promoting similar narratives. In 2024, his close aide Nahidul Islam shared a map on social media showing parts of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam as belonging to Bangladesh. The post also mentioned “Greater Bangladesh” and was later deleted following widespread backlash.

Indian officials have repeatedly underlined the importance of the northeastern region for the country’s strategic and economic connectivity. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described it as a key hub within BIMSTEC, and India has since then cancelled a transhipment agreement that earlier allowed Bangladeshi goods to pass through Indian territory.