April 1, 2025: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has hit back at Bangladesh’s interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus over his controversial remark that Bangladesh is the "only guardian" of the Indian Ocean for the region, given that India's northeastern states are "landlocked."

Yunus made the statement during his four-day visit to China, a comment that has triggered strong reactions in India. Sarma, in a strongly worded post on social media, called the statement "offensive and strongly condemnable," linking it to India’s security concerns over the strategically crucial ‘Chicken’s Neck’ corridor.

“The statement made by Md Yunus of Bangladesh’s so-called interim government, referring to the seven sister states of Northeast India as landlocked and positioning Bangladesh as their guardian of ocean access, is offensive and strongly condemnable,” Sarma wrote. He argued that such assertions reinforce the vulnerability narrative surrounding the narrow land corridor that connects the Northeast to the rest of India.

Taking a historical perspective, Sarma pointed out that even within India, there have been past discussions about severing this corridor, a move that would physically isolate the Northeast. To counter such potential threats, he called for a stronger transport network—railways, roads, and even alternative routes that bypass the Chicken’s Neck entirely.

"Though this may pose significant engineering challenges, it is achievable with determination and innovation," Sarma asserted, emphasizing the need for infrastructural preparedness.

Sarma also cautioned that Yunus’s remarks should not be dismissed lightly, suggesting that they reflect deeper strategic motives. The issue has now sparked a broader discussion on regional geopolitics and the importance of strengthening India's connectivity and security in the Northeast.