India protests over neighboring state’s territorial threat

New Delhi has reacted to a since-deleted social media post by a Bangladeshi interim government aide

India has lodged a “strong protest” with the Bangladeshi interim government following controversial statements by Mahfuj Alam, a key aide to the country’s caretaker administration chief Muhammad Yunus. The remarks had been made earlier this week in a social media post, which was deleted after backlash, according to Indian media.

“We have registered our strong protest on this issue with the Bangladesh side,” Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a press briefing. He said New Delhi wanted to “remind all concerned to be mindful of their public comments.”

In a since-deleted Facebook post, Alam suggested that India should acknowledge the uprising that led to former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation in August. He also suggested that Bangladesh could extend its territory to incorporate parts of eastern and northwestern India, citing cultural similarities that he claimed transcend religious differences. The post included a map depicting the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam as part of Bangladesh.

Hasina, who forged close ties with the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resigned on August 5 following weeks of violent protests over controversial job quotas. The interim government, set up days after Hasina’s ouster, is led by Yunus, who is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist.

Bangladesh's Interim Adviser Calls for Territorial Expansion into parts of India in Deleted Posthttps://t.co/yy3FrQE2il pic.twitter.com/8TmyPyGCZW

— idrw (@idrwalerts) December 18, 2024

Relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have been strained since the interim government in Bangladesh was formed. New Delhi has expressed concern at incidents of violence targeting the Hindu community and other minorities in Bangladesh, and said the interim government in Dhaka was responsible for protecting them.

READ MORE: Bangladesh seeks to revisit power deal with India’s Adani – Reuters 

Meanwhile, Dhaka has been seeking Hasina’s extradition, although formally it has not yet initiated the process. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Bangladesh last week, conveying India’s concerns and urging the interim administration to adopt a “constructive approach.”