When defense minister Rajnath Singh accused top adviser Muhammad Yunus of making offensive remarks on Sunday, Bangladesh responded angrily, calling the remarks "incorrect" and "not respectful of propriety and diplomatic nicety."
Singh was questioned about Yunus's recent "provocative statements" and giving a book that depicted "some areas of northeast India as part of Bangladesh" to a top Pakistani military official. It is really regrettable. He ought to use caution. We wish to keep our relationships with our neighbours intact. Singh had stated, "We do not seek tense relations with our neighbors."
"We consider Singh's comments incorrect and unhelpful and not respectful of propriety and diplomatic nicety," S M Mahbubul Alam, a spokesman for Bangladesh's foreign ministry, told reporters.
"Bangladesh also believes that differences in perspectives are best addressed through constructive and respectful engagement," he continued.
Hardliners here have been arguing that West Bengal and portions of India's northeastern provinces are part of Bangladesh, which has allowed Bangladeshis to migrate there illegally.
Yunus had earlier this year advocated for the "extension of the Chinese economy to encompass India's northeast," and he gave the coffee table book to General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, head of Pakistan's joint chiefs of military committee.
