Bangladesh Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus’s recent remarks about India’s northeastern states during a business dialogue in China have raised eyebrows, with economist Sanjeev Sanyal questioning their intent. Yunus made the comments while addressing Chinese business leaders in Beijing, where he also sought China’s expertise in river water management and proposed a 50-year master plan.
In his speech at a high-level roundtable on ‘Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy’ at Beijing’s The Presidential Hotel on Friday, Yunus highlighted the geographical constraints of India’s northeastern states. “The seven states of India, the eastern part of India, are called the Seven Sisters. They are a landlocked region of India. They have no way to reach out to the ocean,” he said, as per Bangladesh’s state-run news agency BSS.
He underscored Bangladesh’s strategic location, saying, “We are the only guardian of the ocean for all this region.”
Yunus further suggested that this situation created economic opportunities. “So this opens up a huge possibility. This could be an extension of the Chinese economy. Build things, produce things, market things, bring things to China, bring it out to the rest of the world,” he added.
His remarks prompted a response from Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council, who questioned the reference to India’s northeastern states. “China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of seven Indian states being landlocked?” Sanyal posted on X.
Interesting that Yunus is making a public appeal to the Chinese on the basis that 7 states in India are land-locked. China is welcome to invest in Bangladesh, but what exactly is the significance of 7 Indian states being landlocked? https://t.co/JHQAdIzI9s
— Sanjeev Sanyal (@sanjeevsanyal) March 31, 2025
Yunus Appeals To Chinese Investors To Explore Business Opportunities In Bangladesh
Earlier, BSS reported that Yunus urged Chinese investors to explore business opportunities in Bangladesh. “You can tap into the advantages of business in Bangladesh,” he said during an investment dialogue with Chinese business leaders in Beijing.
He highlighted Bangladesh’s potential as the second-largest readymade garment (RMG) manufacturer after China and emphasised regional trade opportunities. He drew parallels between Nepal, Bhutan, and India’s northeastern states, saying, “Nepal and Bhutan are landlocked countries as they have no sea. Same as to the seven-sisters-states of India.”
Yunus also pointed out Bangladesh’s human resource potential, stressing that despite being one of the most densely populated nations, the country has a “huge youthful manpower full of energy, creativity and aspiration.”
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun also addressed the gathering, discussing investment prospects in Bangladesh.
