Bangladesh has two Chicken Necks – know all about them as Himanta warns Dhaka

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday issued a chilling warning to Bangladesh, reminding Dhaka of its own geographic vulnerabilities amid rising strategic tensions in the region. Reacting to Bangladesh's recent rhetoric around India's Siliguri Corridor — also known as the Chicken's Neck — Sarma said that if Bangladesh targets India's corridor, New Delhi could respond by cutting off two of Bangladesh's own.

"We have one Chicken's Neck. But Bangladesh has two Chicken Necks. If Bangladesh attacks our Chicken's Neck, we will attack both the Chicken Necks of Bangladesh. The one in Meghalaya connecting Chittagong port in Bangladesh is even thinner than India's Chicken's Neck and is located just a stone's throw away," Sarma said during a press briefing.

In strategic geography, a "chicken's neck" refers to a narrow strip of land that serves as a critical link — and also a potential choke point. India's Siliguri Corridor, for example, is a narrow 22-km wide land bridge that connects mainland India to the northeastern states. Its vulnerability makes it one of the most closely watched corridors in South Asia. 

Reports have emerged that China is aiding Bangladesh in reviving a World War II-era airbase in Lalmonirhat — just 100 km from the Siliguri Corridor — which connects mainland India to its seven northeastern states and is considered one of the most sensitive military corridors in the country.

Brahma Chellaney, noted geostrategist and author, has raised alarm over Bangladesh's move to revive the airbase, saying: "An active Lalmonirhat airbase would greatly enhance China's ability to conduct aerial surveillance and reconnaissance on Indian military installations, troop movements and critical infrastructure, including in India's strategically vital Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck)."

Tensions had already escalated earlier when Bangladesh's interim head Muhammad Yunus, during a visit to Beijing, referred to India's northeast as "landlocked" and proposed Bangladesh as the "only guardian of the ocean" for the region — a statement viewed in Delhi as provocative.

What are Bangladesh's two 'Chicken Necks'?

Himanta referred to two narrow land corridors inside Bangladesh that hold strategic and economic significance — and potential vulnerability.

The Chittagong Corridor

This corridor connects Bangladesh's mainland to Chittagong, its largest port city. The land distance from Sabroom in south Tripura to Mirsharai Upazila in Bangladesh is about 30 km. Blocking this corridor would isolate Chittagong — which handles over 90% of Bangladesh's external trade — from the rest of the country. "The shortest distance between the “landlocked” Indian state of Tripura and the sea is 30km. Of course cuts across Bangladesh. It’s also narrowest distance from the larger mass of Bangladesh and its eastern division of Chittagong," said Yusuf Unjhawala, an adjunct scholar.  

The Rangpur Corridor

This corridor lies between Meghalaya's South West Garo Hills and South Dinajpur in West Bengal, with Bangladesh's Rangpur division in between. The stretch spans roughly 90 km and represents another narrow link between various administrative regions in Bangladesh. "Their 'Chicken's Neck' near Meghalaya to Chittagong Port is much smaller than ours and can be choked by throwing even a ring," Sarma said.