Bangladesh Diplomatic Controversy: Yunus' Gift to Pakistan Official Shows Indian Regions on Map

Bangladesh has not formally addressed the controversy surrounding the image.

A diplomatic row has emerged after Bangladesh's Chief Advisor to the interim government presented Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza with a coffee table book that allegedly contains a map depicting certain Indian territories as part of Bangladesh.

The contentious gift, titled "Art of Triumph, Graffiti of Bangladesh's New Dawn," features what appears to be a map of Bangladesh on its cover. Some Bangladeshi social media accounts have attempted to clarify that the image is not a geographical representation but rather an artistic portrayal of Bangladesh's national flag, despite its map-like appearance.

Muhammad Yunus presented this book to General Mirza during their meeting at Dhaka's State Guest House on Saturday.

Officially, Bangladesh has remained silent on the controversy surrounding the image.

"The visiting Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, paid a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna late Saturday. During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh-Pakistan relations, including the growing importance of bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation," stated the Chief Adviser following the meeting with the Pakistani General.

India has previously raised concerns about members of Bangladesh's interim administration sharing maps that claim Indian territory as part of Bangladesh.

In December 2024, India lodged a strong protest with Dhaka after a key aide of Bangladesh's interim government posted and later deleted a social media post suggesting certain areas of Indian territory should belong to Bangladesh.

Mahfuz Alam, known for controversial statements, had shared on Facebook a map purportedly showing parts of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam as Bangladesh territory. He removed the post after significant backlash.

At that time, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reminded all concerned parties to be "mindful" of their public comments.

"We have taken this up with the Bangladeshi government. We have strongly registered a protest on this issue. We understand that the post being referred to has reportedly been taken down," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated then.

Earlier this year, Muhammad Yunus referred to India's northeast region as landlocked and invited Chinese expansion in the region by promoting Bangladesh as the "Guardian of the Ocean," which prompted a sharp response from India and criticism from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During a one-on-one meeting with Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a firm message, suggesting that Dhaka avoid "rhetoric that vitiates the environment".