'We might as well break up Bangladesh': Tripura's Pradyot fires back at Yunus over sea access pitch to China

Tripura's Tipra Motha Party chief Pradyot Deb Barman on Tuesday issued a stern warning to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, suggesting a drastic alternative for India's northeastern states to secure ocean access. "Rather than spending billions on innovative and challenging engineering ideas we might as well break up Bangladesh and have our own access to the sea,” Deb Barman wrote on X.

Barman's remarks come amid growing backlash over Yunus’ comments during a four-day visit to China, where he told Chinese leaders that India’s northeastern region is “landlocked” and that Bangladesh could act as the “only guardian of the ocean.” Yunus had stated, “The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, are called the seven sisters. They are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean.” He projected this as a strategic opportunity for China and called Bangladesh “an extension of the Chinese economy.”

Deb Barman, in his sharp response, said, “The Chittagong hill tracts were always inhabited by indigenous tribes which always wanted to be part of India since 1947.” He highlighted the condition of tribal communities across the border, stating, “There are lakhs and lakhs of Tripuri, Garo, Khasi and Chakma people which reside in Bangladesh in terrible conditions in their traditional lands. This should be utilised for our national interest and for their well being.”

The Tripura leader said that it was time for India to make a route to the ocean by supporting our indigenous people who once ruled Chittagong so "we are no longer dependent on an ungrateful regime." He said India’s biggest mistake was to let go of the port in 1947 despite the hill people living there wanting to be a part of the Indian union . "Mr Yunus may think he is the guardian of the ocean but the reality is he a stop gap leader at the age of almost 85. Let’s not forget Tripura is only a few miles away from the port he is speaking away..."

Earlier today, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed Yunus’ remarks “offensive and strongly condemnable.” He warned that Yunus' positioning of Bangladesh as a maritime gatekeeper for the Northeast plays into a “persistent vulnerability narrative” tied to India’s narrow Siliguri corridor, known as the “Chicken’s Neck.”

“This remark underscores the persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India’s strategic ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor,” Sarma had said. “Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically.”

Sarma called for immediate infrastructure development to safeguard the region: “It is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken’s Neck corridor. Additionally, exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to mainland India, effectively bypassing the Chicken’s Neck, should be prioritized. Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation.”

Yunus, during his visit to China, framed Bangladesh’s strategic location as an economic opportunity for Beijing. His remarks have triggered alarm and a flurry of responses from India’s Northeast—most notably, a call to rethink the geopolitical boundaries of the region itself.

Yunus signed nine agreements and urged Beijing to play a "greater role" in ensuring peace and stability in the region. Bangladesh also secured a commitment of USD 2.1 billion in investments, loans, and grants from the Chinese government and firms. Among the key projects highlighted was the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project, which Chinese companies have been invited to join.