Pradyot Manikya warns of ISI’s possible involvement in exploiting northeast India’s youth through external influence and destabilise Northeast India .
Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarman on Friday raised serious concerns over recent remarks made by certain political figures in Bangladesh, including Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser to the country’s caretaker government. Addressing a gathering of former militants from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), Debbarman alleged that these statements signal a renewed attempt to destabilise India’s northeastern region.
He claimed that the rhetoric emerging from Bangladesh, particularly from high-level leaders, points toward an external agenda that may be backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). According to him, the goal of such efforts is to exploit the region’s vulnerabilities—especially its youth—to incite unrest and disturb peace in the sensitive border areas of northeast India.
“Recent statements made by some Bangladeshi leaders, including Muhammad Yunus, are not merely opinions—they are signals,” Debbarman said. “Signals that external elements might be eyeing ways to create instability in northeast India again. It’s a warning we cannot ignore.”
Debbarman also urged the Indian government and political leadership to take a strong stance against any attempt by Pakistan’s ISI to stir unrest in the region. He stressed the need for vigilance and proactive measures to ensure that the northeast does not become a hotspot for cross-border interference or violence.
“We must remain cautious of those who are trying to use our young, unemployed population as tools of disruption,” he said. “The government must take concrete steps to prevent any foreign-sponsored attempts to disturb peace, especially those linked to Pakistan’s ISI.”
Yunus had suggested that India’s northeastern states, often called the “Seven Sisters,” could become an “extension of the Chinese economy” due to their landlocked nature and lack of direct sea access. He further implied that this economic integration could happen through Bangladesh.
His comments came in response to recent statements made by Muhammad Yunus during a four-day visit to China. Yunus had suggested that India’s northeastern states, often called the “Seven Sisters,” could become an “extension of the Chinese economy” due to their landlocked nature and lack of direct sea access. He further implied that this economic integration could happen through Bangladesh.
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The remarks drew widespread condemnation from Indian political leaders, including Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who called them an attempt to undermine India’s sovereignty. Debbarman also took to social media to voice his outrage, posting a sharp response on X (formerly Twitter).
In his post, Debbarman reignited the issue of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region in southeastern Bangladesh historically inhabited by indigenous communities like the Tripuri, Chakma, Khasi, and Garo. He argued that many of these communities, who share cultural and ethnic ties with tribes in India, continue to live in difficult conditions in Bangladesh.
“Rather than spending billions on complex infrastructure projects to give northeast India access to the sea, maybe we should rethink the map,” he posted. “The Chittagong Hill Tracts were always home to indigenous people who wanted to join India in 1947. Their situation today must be considered in the interest of their welfare—and our national strategy.”
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Debbarman’s remarks echo longstanding frustrations among tribal leaders about the neglect of indigenous groups across the border and the strategic limitations faced by India’s northeast. While the idea of directly accessing the sea through Bangladesh has been debated for years, his provocative statements signal a shift toward a more assertive stance on regional geopolitics.
He concluded by calling for unity among the people of the northeast and urged all political stakeholders to focus on peace and development. “Our region has seen enough violence and manipulation,” he said. “It’s time to protect our future and ensure that no external force—whether from Bangladesh, Pakistan, or anywhere else—is allowed to interfere.”
With tensions simmering over Yunus’s remarks and growing concern about foreign influence, the central government is expected to closely monitor developments and consider diplomatic responses. Regional leaders like Debbarman continue to push for a more assertive and security-focused approach to protect the northeast’s long-term stability.
