Can there be a more absurd, crude joke than the recent statement made by former Bangladeshi Major General (Retd) A.L.M. Fazlur Rahman? In a bizarre outburst, Rahman—once aligned with Bangladesh’s interim administration—claimed that if India were to attack Pakistan, Bangladesh would invite China to occupy seven of India’s northeastern states.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a foolish threat—it’s a slap in the face of history and gratitude.
Bangladesh exists today because India intervened decisively in 1971 to rescue the Bengali population from annihilation at the hands of the Pakistani army. While West Pakistani forces unleashed rape, murder, and genocide on the people of East Pakistan, it was then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with the moral clarity and strategic foresight, who ordered the Indian Army—under the command of the legendary Gen. Sam Manekshaw—to act. Over 3 million people were killed in that genocide. India not only stopped the bloodshed but also gave refuge to millions of Bengali Muslims fleeing Pakistan’s brutality.
Had India not intervened, there would be no Bangladesh today. That the descendants of that liberation now contemplate aligning with Pakistan—the very nation that tried to wipe them out—is not just ironic. It’s disgraceful.
The provocations don’t stop with one retired general. The so-called Advisor Mohammad Yunus, allegedly foisted on the Bangladeshi establishment by Western powers after undermining the democratically elected government of Sheikh Hasina, has made his own dangerous noises. Although the current Bangladeshi administration later distanced itself from Rahman’s remarks, Yunus himself had echoed similar sentiments after returning from a visit to China.
The timing and tone of these statements cannot be ignored. As Bangladesh teeters economically, desperate for aid, much like its ideological twin Pakistan—it now seeks to play a strategic game it cannot afford. Aligning with China, which has its own ambitions in the Indian Ocean region, Dhaka seems to be lured into a fantasy of geopolitical relevance. But let’s set the record straight.
Today’s India is not the India of 1965 or even 1971. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is a confident, militarily sophisticated, and economically strong nation capable of defending its sovereignty on multiple fronts. With a battle-hardened military and a growing global stature, India is more than equipped to handle a two-front or even a three-front war, if forced into one. Like Israel, India has shown the political will and military capacity to neutralize hostile neighbours swiftly and decisively.
Furthermore, India’s strategic ties have deepened with the United States, especially under the personal diplomacy of Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. has already pledged Rs 131 billion in military aid to India, with potential logistical support if China dares to intervene. Yunus, Rahman, or anyone in the Bangladeshi establishment harbouring delusions of grandeur ought to study this alignment carefully.
Even China, for all its bluster, is unlikely to risk direct conflict with a rising India. Supporting a faltering Pakistan or a debt-ridden Bangladesh would be a strategic miscalculation of epic proportions. Beijing has enough on its plate, economically and politically, without entering a multi-front war where it could face not just India, but also U.S.-backed coalitions.
And let’s not forget Russia. Despite its current preoccupation with Ukraine, Moscow remains a long-standing partner of New Delhi. When the West turned its back on Putin, it was Modi’s government that continued buying Russian oil, offering economic lifelines amid sanctions. If push comes to shove, Russia is far more likely to remain neutral—or even offer quiet support to India—than back China in a foolhardy adventure.
People like Fazlur Rahman and Pakistan’s Gen. Asim Munir, by stirring war rhetoric against India, are not just playing with fire—they are gambling with the very existence of their nations. India has no desire to engage in aggression, but if provoked, today’s Bharat will not blink. It will respond with precision, strength, and resolve.
Dhaka would do well to remember who stood by it in 1971—and who tried to wipe it out. India doesn’t need to remind the world of its capabilities. But those who forget history may soon be forced to relive it—from the wrong side.
