Bangladesh Will Not Kneel Down: Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir Rejects Border Intimidation After West Bengal Fencing Move
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DHAKA, BANGLADESH — In a sharp and uncompromising response to neighboring political developments, Bangladesh’s newly appointed Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir asserted on Monday afternoon that the nation will no longer adopt a submissive stance regarding its borders. He stressed that a transformed geopolitical reality exists under the current administration, declaring that neither the government nor the citizens of Bangladesh can be intimidated by international barbed wire projects.
The statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came immediately after the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) administration in West Bengal announced an aggressive plan to completely fence off the international border. Following the first formal cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat (Nabanna) in Howrah, West Bengal’s newly sworn-in Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari directed state officials to acquire and hand over all required borderlands to the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) within a strict 45-day window. The West Bengal Chief Secretary and the Land and Revenue Secretary have been granted direct executive responsibility to expedite this transfer, reversing the stance of the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration, which had delayed the land transfer.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Reacting to the developments in West Bengal, Adviser Humayun Kabir noted that while difficult and complex diplomatic challenges persist between Dhaka and New Delhi, constructive dialogue remains viable as long as official communication channels are maintained. He remarked that the newly elected West Bengal leadership used harsh, inflammatory language during its recent election campaign but reminded observers that political rhetoric frequently shifts once a party transitions into actual governance.
“Dhaka maintains its institutional diplomatic ties directly with the Central Government of India, and we have zero intention of interfering in their internal state politics,” Adviser Kabir clarified. “However, there is absolutely no room to intimidate a country like Bangladesh with barbed wire fences. The border will never operate under the old paradigms witnessed during the Sheikh Hasina era. If anyone attempts to execute unilateral, hostile measures at our borders under that past template, this new Bangladesh will certainly not sit back and watch. We have our own strategic blueprints ready, though we hope India will choose a more diplomatic path.”
বিজ্ঞাপন
The Foreign Affairs Adviser urged the Indian government to prioritize human rights and mutual respect rather than physical barriers if it genuinely wishes to foster robust people-to-people relations. Turning to internal security concerns, Kabir added that regional stability depends heavily on neighboring states refusing to harbor fugitives. He pointed out that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—whom he characterized as a terrorist who fled after the killing of 1,500 citizens during the mass uprising—remains in India. He cautioned that a destabilized Bangladesh would yield highly unfavorable consequences for India itself, expressing hope that New Delhi would honor its official assurances and prevent the deposed leader from organizing counter-revolutionary activities from Indian soil.
Addressing the critical Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project, Adviser Kabir highlighted a positive shift in bilateral prospects. For over a decade, the Indian central government consistently maintained that the Teesta water-sharing treaty could not be finalized due to administrative gridlocks imposed by the regional TMC government in West Bengal. With the BJP now controlling both the central government in New Delhi and the state government in West Bengal, Kabir noted that domestic political obstacles within India have significantly cleared, paving a smoother path forward for bilateral water negotiations.
Concurrently, the Foreign Affairs Adviser described Bangladesh’s ties with Beijing as deeply historic, noting that the foundation of the relationship was originally established by former President Ziaur Rahman. Commenting on the upcoming official visit to Beijing—the first major state tour by the administration under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman—Kabir stated that China remains an invaluable bilateral economic and infrastructural partner. He confirmed that recent high-level meetings between the foreign ministers of both countries yielded highly positive discussions regarding the Teesta project’s financial architecture, indicating that the Exim Bank of China is strongly positioned to finance the multi-billion-dollar river management plan. Kabir concluded that the current feasibility study reports are undergoing final review before being advanced to policy recommendations, noting that the exact dates and itinerary of the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to Beijing are being finalized through diplomatic channels.
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