In a move that has triggered outrage across New Delhi, Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has courted controversy after gifting a book titled “Art of Triumph: Bangladesh’s New Dawn” to Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chair General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. The book’s map reportedly depicts India’s northeastern states including Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura as part of Bangladesh’s territory, reviving the discredited “Greater Bangladesh” narrative.
The symbolic gesture has escalated into a diplomatic storm, with Indian political circles demanding a formal protest and clarification from Dhaka. Opposition leaders in India have criticized the government’s silence, calling the act an “insult to India’s sovereignty.” Analysts suggest the inclusion of the altered map could be a deliberate signal aimed at reshaping Bangladesh’s regional posture while courting Pakistan.
The Bangladeshi administration has yet to issue an official clarification, claiming privately that the map may represent an “artistic rendition.” However, in a region where borders define national identity, such “artistry” carries heavy political meaning. The episode risks straining India-Bangladesh relations at a time when both nations are navigating sensitive issues such as water-sharing, border management, and migration. As India monitors Dhaka’s next move, the controversy underscores how cartography continues to be a potent instrument of political provocation in South Asia.
