SOURCE: AFI
In a controversial move, Mahfuj Alam, who serves as a special aide to Dr. Muhammad Yunus and advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, took to his personal social media to advocate for the annexation of certain Indian territories. In a now-deleted post on his verified @facebook account earlier today, Alam shared a map suggesting Bangladesh should expand into parts of India’s eastern and northeastern regions to achieve true independence and liberation from what he describes as Indian “containment” and “ghettoization” policies.
Alam’s post drew parallels between the 1975 coup, during which Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated, and the recent 2024 protests that led to Sheikh Hasina’s departure, framing both events as necessary to break free from Indian “reliance” and “hegemony”. He argued that for Bangladesh to be “truly victorious”, it must “come out of its cage” by expanding its geographical boundaries. He emphasized that the work towards this goal has only just begun, indicating a long-term vision for Bangladesh’s strategic position in the region.
The provocative nature of Alam’s comments led to the post being removed within approximately two hours of its publication. This rapid retraction might suggest a hasty realization of the diplomatic tensions such statements could provoke or perhaps an attempt to mitigate the backlash from both domestic and international audiences.
Mahfuj Alam’s significance in Bangladesh’s political landscape was highlighted when Dr. Yunus introduced him as the “mastermind” behind the recent mass protests during an address at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York in September. These protests were pivotal in the political upheaval that saw the interim government take power on August 5, 2024.
Given Alam’s influential position and his role in the recent political changes in Bangladesh, his comments, even if retracted, carry weight. They raise serious concerns about regional stability, particularly in the geopolitically sensitive Indian subcontinent. His call for territorial expansion could be seen as a direct challenge to India’s sovereignty, potentially stirring tensions between the two nations.
This incident underscores the complexities of South Asian geopolitics where historical grievances and nationalistic fervor can quickly escalate into broader regional issues. Alam’s narrative of Bangladesh needing to expand to achieve true independence resonates with a segment of the population but could also be interpreted as inflammatory rhetoric, potentially affecting diplomatic relations.
The rapid deletion of the post might indicate an awareness within the interim government of the need for cautious diplomacy, especially in the volatile context of India-Bangladesh relations, where issues like water sharing, border demarcation, and minority rights have long been points of contention.