Bangladesh Defends Itself, Rejects Claims Of Handing Pakistan A Controversial Map Including Indian Territory

New Delhi:  The interim government in Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, on Monday took a strong stance against media reports claiming that Yunus presented a map to a top Pakistani military official showing India's northeastern region as part of Bangladesh. The government termed the report as completely false, misleading and fabricated.

What did the Bangladesh government say?

A government statement said Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus presented a book titled "The Art of Triumph" to General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. The book is not a political or geographical document, but rather a compilation of graffiti art created by students in Dhaka and other cities during the July uprising.

According to the government, the book artistically depicts the country's civil movements, struggles, and student sacrifices. Its purpose is to honor the courage and democratic struggle of Bangladesh's youth, not to create controversy over the country's borders.

The controversy over the map was declared baseless

The official explanation stated that the book's cover features an artistic map of Bangladesh, painted in red, behind a photograph of Shaheed Abu Sayed. The map is entirely graffiti-based and may have slight variations in its borders due to the artistic rendering.

The statement said, "The claim that this map shows India's northeastern states as part of Bangladesh is completely false and fictitious." The government clarified that this is merely a piece of cultural art and should not be interpreted in any political way.

Appeal to stop rumours

The Bangladesh government stated that the ongoing misinformation on this subject is being spread with the aim of tarnishing the country's image. When the map in this book was compared to the official map of Bangladesh, no major differences were found.

The government has appealed to the public and the media not to be misled by such false information. The statement said that some anti-social elements are deliberately spreading misinformation to escalate tensions with neighboring countries. Such actions could impact Bangladesh's credibility and stability.

Warning of legal action

The government also indicated that legal action could be taken against those spreading such misleading news. The administration stated that maintaining national unity, peace, and harmony with neighboring countries is the government's priority, and therefore, those spreading rumors will not be spared.

Finally, the government reiterated that Bangladesh values ​​friendly and cooperative relations with all its neighbors, especially India. Any claims that could impact relations between the two countries have no factual basis and are rejected.