Controversy erupts over Bangladesh PM Yunus’ gift to Pak General showing parts of India on map

During their meeting at Dhaka’s State Guest House Jamuna on Saturday, Professor Yunus presented a coffee-table book titled “Art of Triumph, Graffiti of Bangladesh’s New Dawn.”

The book’s cover features an image that many netizens claim resembles a map depicting parts of India as part of Bangladesh.

While some social media users criticized the cover as “provocative,” several Bangladeshi commentators insisted it was not a map but a stylized painting symbolizing the national flag.

The Bangladesh government has not issued any official statement addressing the matter so far.

According to an official release, the meeting between Yunus and General Mirza covered topics including bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan.

This isn’t the first time Dhaka has faced backlash over territorial depictions.

In December 2024, India lodged a formal protest after a senior aide of the interim administration shared and later deleted a map on social media showing parts of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam as belonging to Bangladesh.

At that time, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had “strongly registered a protest” and reminded Dhaka to be “mindful of public comments.”

Earlier this year, Muhammad Yunus also drew criticism for remarks suggesting that China should expand its influence in India’s northeast, describing Bangladesh as the “Guardian of the Ocean.”

The comments prompted a sharp response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who privately urged Yunus during the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok to avoid rhetoric that “vitiates the environment.”