Diplomatic Row Erupts Over Map in Book Gifted by Bangladesh PM

Bangladesh’s interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus has become embroiled in a major diplomatic controversy following a recent visit by Pakistan’s General Sahir Shamshad Mirza to Dhaka. Yunus presented the Pakistani military chief with a book titled ‘Art of Triumph,’ which features a map controversially showing India’s northeastern states, such as Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, as part of Bangladesh. This presentation has ignited widespread condemnation, with many accusing Yunus of promoting the ‘Greater Bangladesh’ ideology, an extremist concept advocating for territorial expansion into India. The incident has inflamed diplomatic relations between Dhaka and New Delhi, with observers closely watching India’s official response. The move is also being interpreted as a sign of strengthening ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan under Yunus’s interim government, potentially at the expense of India’s regional standing. This latest event echoes past provocations, including previous statements by Yunus that strained bilateral ties and led to punitive measures by India. The act is widely seen as a symbolic challenge to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.