NEW DELHI, Oct 28: Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has triggered a major controversy after gifting a senior Pakistan Army general a book featuring a distorted map of Bangladesh that shows India’s northeastern states as part of the country.
During a meeting in Dhaka, Yunus presented Art of Triumph: Bangladesh’s New Dawn to Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairperson, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. The book’s cover, depicting the controversial map, has drawn sharp criticism online and renewed concerns over the “Greater Bangladesh” narrative propagated by the Islamist group Sultanat-e-Bangla.
According to a statement from Yunus’ office, the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, focusing on trade, investment, and defence cooperation. General Mirza reportedly emphasized Pakistan’s desire to strengthen ties with Bangladesh across multiple sectors.
The distorted map has angered Indian observers, with many social media users condemning Yunus’ gesture as provocative. Some have accused the interim Bangladeshi government of pandering to anti-India elements.
The “Greater Bangladesh” map, which also includes West Bengal, parts of Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand, was earlier displayed at a Dhaka University exhibition in April 2025. The incident had prompted questions in the Indian Parliament, where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar clarified that the group behind the map was backed by a Turkey-based NGO and denied any official Bangladeshi government involvement.
This controversy adds further strain to India–Bangladesh relations, already tense since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Since then, Yunus’ administration has sought closer ties with Pakistan and China — a move that has raised apprehensions in New Delhi.
