Who is ALM Fazlur Rahman? Bangladesh distances itself from Muhammad Yunus aide's call to capture India's Northeast

A day after a retired Bangladeshi major general suggested that Bangladesh should capture India's Northeastern states in the event of a war between New Delhi and Islamabad, Dhaka has distanced itself from the veteran's shocking remarks.

Retired army officer ALM Fazlur Rahman said Dhaka should join hands with Beijing to capture India's Northeast. India is yet to respond to the rhetoric.

However, the interim Bangladesh government headed by Muhammad Yunus soon turned to damage control mode by distancing itself from the remarks of the retired military officer. Yunus's press adviser Shafiqul Alam said Rahman's remarks were "expressed solely in a personal capacity" and did not reflect the government's views.

"...the government neither endorses nor shares such rhetoric in any form or manner," said a statement.

Who is ALM Fazlur Rahman?

ALM Fazlur Rahman is a retired major general who headed the Border Guards Bangladesh (formerly Bangladesh Rifles). The Yunus government had earlier picked Rahman to head the National Independent Commission that is investigating the 2009 Bangladesh Rifles mutiny.

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The sharp rhetoric from India's eastern neighbour comes days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The attack was carried out by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. India has vowed to take retaliatory action against Pakistan over its alleged support for terrorists operating on its soil.

The Centre has already suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and revoked visas of Pakistani nationals in India. Recently, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had urged the Narendra Modi government to suspend the Ganga Water Treaty to Bangladesh, calling the 1996 treaty flawed. The treaty is set to expire in 2026 and Dhaka has been asking for more water during dry season as part of negotiations to renew the agreement.

The remarks by the retired Bangladeshi army official comes weeks after Yunus commented that India's Northeast is "landlocked" and that Dhaka is the "guardian of the ocean" for the region.

Responding to Yunus, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India's Northeast region is the connectivity hub for BIMSTEC with rail, road, water and pipeline networks. PM Modi also responded to his comments, saying India's Northeast is at the heart of the BIMSTEC.

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