Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday attacked those who "habitually threaten" India on the "Chicken Neck corridor" and said they should note that Bangladesh has two such narrow strips of land, which are "far more vulnerable."
His statement comes weeks after Bangladesh interim government chief Muhammad Yunus's remarks on "Chicken's Neck", a narrow strip of land in West Bengal's Siliguri that connects the northeast region with the rest of India.
Mr Sarma, who heads one of the seven states in the northeast, said Bangladesh's first "Chicken Neck" is the 80-kilometre-long North Bangladesh Corridor between Dakhin Dinajpur and South West Garo Hills.
"Any disruption here can completely isolate the entire Rangpur division from the rest of Bangladesh," he posted on X and shared a map detailing the route.
He said the second one is the 28-kilometre-long Chittagong Corridor, from South Tripura to the Bay of Bengal.
"This corridor, smaller than India's chicken neck, is the only link between Bangladesh's economic capital and political capital," he said.
To those who habitually threaten India on the “Chicken Neck Corridor”, should note these facts as well:
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 25, 2025
1️⃣ Bangladesh has two of its own “chicken necks”. Both are far more vulnerable
2️⃣ First is the 80 Km North Bangladesh Corridor- from Dakhin Dinajpur to South West Garo… pic.twitter.com/DzV3lUAOhR
"Just like India's Siliguri Corridor, our neighbouring country is also embedded with two narrow corridors of theirs," Mr Sarma said.
"I am only presenting geographical facts that some may tend to forget," he added.
Muhammad Yunus On India's Northeastern States
Muhammad Yunus, in late March, claimed that Bangladesh was the sole "guardian of the ocean (Bay of Bengal)," as India's northeastern states were "landlocked".
During his four-day visit to China, he said this opens up a "huge possibility" and urged Beijing to extend its economic influence to his country.
Himanta Biswa Sarma had called the statement "offensive and strongly condemnable"
"The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh, the 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," Mr Sarma posted on X on April 1.
He said the remark underscored the "persistent vulnerability narrative associated with India's strategic 'Chicken's Neck' corridor".
"Historically, even internal elements within India have dangerously suggested severing this critical passageway to isolate the Northeast from the mainland physically. Therefore, it is imperative to develop more robust railway and road networks both underneath and around the Chicken's Neck corridor," he said.
Mr Sarma also called for the prioritisation of exploring alternative road routes connecting the Northeast to the rest of India, effectively bypassing the 'Chicken's Neck'.
The statement made by Md Younis of Bangladesh 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. This remark underscores the…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 1, 2025
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also said that this may pose significant engineering challenges, but it can be achieved with "determination and innovation".
"Such provocative statements by Md Younis must not be taken lightly, as they reflect deeper strategic considerations and longstanding agendas," he said.
India's 'Chicken's Neck'
The 'Chicken's Neck' is also known as the Siliguri corridor. All land transport to the Northeast, whether through road or rail, must pass through this corridor.
At its narrowest, the corridor is just about 20 kilometres wide.
It is called 'Chicken Neck' because of its geographical shape. The strip has Nepal and Bhutan to its north and Bangladesh to its south.
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