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In farewell note, Muhammad Yunus leaves message on India's '7 sisters' for new Bangladesh govt
Yunus's farewell speech blurred political boundaries by grouping India's northeastern states with sovereign countries, amid strained India-Bangladesh ties.
Muhammad Yunus, while announcing his exit as Bangladesh government chief on Monday, invoked India’s northeastern “Seven Sisters” states alongside Nepal and Bhutan while outlining a sub-regional economic vision in his farewell address, a formulation that is likely to draw attention in New Delhi amid already strained India-Bangladesh ties.
In a televised speech a day before stepping down, Yunus said Bangladesh's foreign policy under his 18-month tenure restored three core pillars - sovereignty, national interest, and dignity - and declared that the country was “no longer submissive” or guided by other nations’ directives.
“Our open sea is not only a geographical boundary, it is an open door to engage with the world economy for Bangladesh. This region along with Nepal, Bhutan and the Seven Sisters has great economic potential,” Yunus said, referring to India's northeastern states without naming India directly.
He proposed deeper sub-regional economic cooperation built around connectivity, trade agreements, economic zones and maritime access through Bangladesh.
By grouping the Indian northeastern states, an integral part of India, alongside sovereign countries, Yunus appeared to blur established political boundaries, a move that can be perceived as an attempt to provoke New Delhi and affect the reset of India-Bangladesh ties under the newly elected government.
The farewell speech came as Yunus faces criticism at home over his interim administration’s handling of minority safety, democratic transition and foreign relations.
His government took charge in August 2024 after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led regime and is handing over power to a newly elected government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The BNP, headed by Tarique Rahman, won 209 of 297 seats in the February 12 parliamentary elections and is set to form the next government on Tuesday.
Leaning heavily on nationalist messaging, Yunus said his administration rebuilt the “fundamental foundations” of Bangladesh’s external engagement and pursued a policy of strategic balance. He highlighted expanded ties with multiple global partners, including China, Japan, the United States and Europe, and cited progress on Chinese-backed projects such as the Teesta River initiative and a major hospital project in Nilphamari.
He also spoke about military modernisation and said Bangladesh had begun strengthening its armed forces to counter “any aggression,” without naming specific threats.
On governance, Yunus said his administration framed around 130 new laws, amended several others and issued about 600 executive orders, with roughly 84% already implemented. He defended agreements with international port management companies despite protests by worker groups, saying improved efficiency was essential for economic growth.
Under his tenure, relations with India saw a marked downturn, with New Delhi repeatedly raising concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, and broader law-and-order issues. Several analysts have argued that political tensions spilled into economic ties, slowing progress on trade facilitation and connectivity.
In his closing remarks, Yunus called on citizens to continue working toward a “just, humane and democratic Bangladesh,” saying he was leaving office with optimism. Earlier in the day, he met senior bureaucrats and received a farewell call from Army chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, whom he thanked for the armed forces’ cooperation during the elections.
