Bathua’s Bilby

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Bangkok – as requested by Dhaka. The amusing part was Yunus carrying a framed photo (of Modi giving him a gold medal in 2015) all the way to Bangkok and presenting it to Modi. It indicates the character and mental makeup of Yunus who can’t look beyond self-aggrandizement, be it any occasion (sic). 

Born in Bathua in Chittagong District of Bengal Presidency in 1940, Yunus said during his recent China visit that Bangladesh is the “only guardian” of the ocean, as the seven northeastern states of India are “landlocked.” Talking of “seven sisters” the bilby was probably remembering his own childhood: born third in a litter of nine – does he have seven or eight sisters? But he (called CIA’s illegitimate child on social media) has little idea about the length of India’s coastline, New Delhi gifting St Martins Island to Bangladesh, India’s contribution to birth of Bangladesh, and Bangladesh’s 654-km coastline (compared to Pakistan’s 990-km) which is susceptible to blockades.

Yunus is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (2006). America’s Presidential Medal of Freedom, Ramon Magsaysay Award (1984). World Food Prize, International Simon Bolivar Prize (1996). Prince of Asturias Award for Concord, Sydney Peace Prize (1998), Soul Peace Prize (2006), among other international awards. America’s deep state obviously worked tirelessly over the years to land up Yunus in his present avatar – as CIA’s chief pawn to manipulate South Asia’s stability. But while the CIA recognised and exploited Yunus’s abilities for geopolitical prostituting, it failed to estimate that while Yunus would have the distinction of prostituting simultaneously to the CIA, Pakistan and China, he would bend backward to Beijing in the most ludicrous fashion.  

Under Yunus, Bangladesh renewed a Memorandum of Understanding with China's state-run PowerChina for a project in Bangladesh, costing USD 1 billion, which includes constructing, expanding, upgrading, and renovating nearly 100 substations, over 1,000-km transmission lines at 400 kV, 230 kV, and 132 kV levels, and seven regional inspection and maintenance centers within the Bangladesh Power Grid Company's jurisdiction. During his four-day visit to China in March 2025, Yunus sought a 50-year Chinese master plan for Bangladesh’s river management, not just the USD 1 billion Teesta Multipurpose Project involving dredging of the river, construction of reservoirs, a drainage system along the river and construction of embankments and satellite townships on either bank of the Teesta River. Both the PowerChina project and the Teesta Multipurpose Project are close to India’s Chicken’s Neck area.

A joint China-Bangladesh statement issued after Yunus held a meeting with President Xi, said, “The Bangladeshi side welcomed Chinese companies to participate in the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP).” It further spoke of Bangladesh and China strengthening exchanges on maritime affairs and hold a new round of Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation at an appropriate time, as well as Chinese companies participating in the Mongla Port Facilities Modernization and Expansion Project, and to further develop the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in Chattogram.

While US President Donald Trump wants to redeploy US troops to Afghanistan for manning the Bagram Air Base, Yunus has invited China to build an air base in Bangladesh's Lalmonirhat District, with a Pakistani firm to work as the subcontractor: extreme geopolitical prostituting. The Lalmonirhat District is situated at the northern border of Bangladesh. It is a part of the Rangpur Division which was recently visited by senior Pakistani military and ISI officials. To pacify the Trump Administration, Yunus has awarded Elon Musk the license for Starlink cover to Bangladesh. Dhaka is hosting Bangladesh-Pakistan foreign secretary-level talks on April 17, focusing on trade and investment, air connectivity, defence cooperation, agricultural collaboration, and cultural exchange programs. Direct cargo shipping has already begun between the two nations, and visa restrictions have been eased enabling radical Islamists-cum-terrorists to visit each other and coordinate joint actions against India.

Pakistan’s ISI remains hyper-active, as mentioned earlier (https://www.thestrategicperspective.org/op-eds/the-isi-scalpel/). The recent intense gunfight with terrorists in Kathua (J&K) with casualties on both sides and searches extending beyond seven days is evidence. Also, the unprecedented incidence of “unidentified persons” firing on army troops exercising in Faridkot (Punjab), could be ISI’s handiwork, including through its proxies in India

Starlink cover would facilitate Bangladesh infiltrating terrorists and attacks in Inda, as well as illegal infiltration. Ironically, India’s pusillanimous stance towards border security was exposed when Union Minister Amit Shah told Parliament on March 27, 2025, “The fencing work of 450 km is pending because the West Bengal government is not giving land for it,” adding that the ruling party in the state has repeatedly hindered security efforts. He further alleged that whenever authorities attempt to proceed with fencing, “ruling party workers indulge in hooliganism and religious sloganeering.” (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/amit-shah-blames-west-bengal-govt-for-india-bangladesh-border-fencing-delays-says-tmc-workers-indulge-in-hooliganism/articleshow/119598999.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst). Can there be anything more sic than this; India unable to fence international borders despite the Border Security Force directly under the Union Home Minister? As pathetic is India not placing all its land borders under the army because of dirty politics of ruling parties.

The Trump Administration’s main focus is on rare earth materials, which is one reason why the much-touted Ukraine peace deal of Donald Trump remains in limbo. As for countering terrorism, the US is not looking beyond Hamas, Houth, Hezbollah and perfunctory noises about its surrogate child – Islamic State. Notably, the US-led West is totally unconcerned by Pakistan’s continuing proxy war on India and radicalization of Yunus-led Bangladesh advancing alarmingly since August 5, 2024, with a mute (or abetting?) Bangladesh military. Witness the posse of senior US officials visiting Pakistan (April 8-10) with focus on signing a critical minerals deal (https://www.wionews.com/world/senior-us-official-heads-to-pakistan-with-focus-on-critical-minerals-deal-8930388).

Intense fighting in Myanmar's Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh, has created a dilemma for Yunus – with speculation that Bangladesh military may be ordered to intervene although reports suggest that the Bangladesh Army Chief is reluctant to do so. The Arakan Army (AA), with a strength of about 45,000, including about 13,000 in Rakhine and Chin states of Myanmar, is controlling almost all of Rakhine State (less the capital of Sittwe and port city of Kyaukphu), as well as, about 40% of the adjoining Chin State. There are reports that the AA, which is not supported by the US and is anti-Rohingya, is readying to launch another offensive amid speculation it may attack Rohingya camps on the Bangladesh side of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. 

China has been working methodically to further its strategic interests in both Myanmar and Bangladesh, not just being the major arms supplier to these countries. Notably, China has armed the United Wa State Army (UWSA) to the teeth, including with missile-fitted attack helicopters, armored vehicles, shoulder-fired AD missiles, to retain a stranglehold on Myanmar.  Beijing has been holding joint naval drills with Myanmar and has offered to mediate between the military junta and the anti-government warring factions. In March 2023, Bangladesh inaugurated the largest China-built submarine base in South Asia (costing USD 1.21 billion) for the Bangladesh Navy at Pekua in Cox's Bazar.  Arming the AA (similar to UWSA) by China/another power would provide a massive heft against Bangladesh.

India not being a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the UN principle of non-refoulement and impediment to expulsion does not apply in India. But India took in Rohingyas on so-called humanitarian grounds although under the Indian law, Rohingyas are illegal immigrants, not refugees.  Around 40,000 Rohingya are presently in India, mostly in and around cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, Jammu, and Nuh. Most of them are undocumented but like in Jammu, they have been provided Aadhar Cards, Ration Cards, Sim Card, Voter-ID Cards, Pan Cards and have constructed houses after getting Permanent Resident Certificates (https://statetimes.in/national-security-who-brought-rohingyas-to-jammu-from-delhi-wb-and-why/). India must give deportation of Rohingya refugees the topmost priority. Their Permanent Resident Certificates and properties (particularly close to security establishments and astride the road/rail communications through the Siliguri Corridor) must be confiscated forthwith; moving all of them to detention camps, awaiting immediate deportation under the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 passed by the Parliament.

With Bathua’s bilby blatantly building an anti-India Bangladesh-China-Pakistan nexus in Bangladesh, China salami-slicing our territory, and China-Pakistan both eyeing more Indian Territories, India must chalk out comprehensive plans for: broadening the Siliguri Corridor, including the Chicken’ Neck area; carve out a “Minority Enclave for the  1.3 crore Hindus, 10,00,000 Buddhists, 5,00,000 Christians and other religious minorities in Bangladesh, who face terrible persecution and genocide at the hands of the marauding mass of radical Islamists; fully support Baloch and Sindh independence in Pakistan.

The author is an Indian Army veteran. Views expressed are personal.