A minister from Yunus's government made a bizarre claim, stating that "Bengal, Assam, and Tripura are part of Bangladesh," and even displayed a map to support the assertion

Mahfuz Alam, an adviser in Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, made a provocative statement on Victory Day, threatening to annex parts of India. Victory Day, celebrated on December 16, commemorates Bangladesh’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War. On that day, Alam, a hardline Islamist, posted a controversial message on Facebook, attempting to stir division in Northeast and Northern India based on cultural differences. He also shared a map showing West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam as parts of Bangladesh. The post was later deleted following widespread backlash.

In his message, Alam suggested that the cultures of Northeast India and Bangladesh were closely related, transcending religious differences. He blamed the creation of East Pakistan on the "anti-Bengal attitude" of upper-caste Hindus and “Hindu extremists.” Alam declared, “India has adopted a program of control and colonization… To ensure true freedom from India, we need to repeat 1975 and 2024.”

Notably, in 1975, Bangladesh’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and 18 members of his family were assassinated. Alam referred to 2024 as a year when Sheikh Hasina was removed from power undemocratically. He expressed the need to "break free from geography and systems" and claimed that the fight for independence was far from over. He said, “Today, Bangladesh is seeking liberation through the sacrifices of the martyrs of 2024. And this is just the beginning, not the end.”

Alam argued that Bangladesh, as a "small, limited, landlocked" country, could never achieve true independence and emphasized the need for liberation. He further posted a map showing Bangladesh extending into West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura, which led to significant outrage. Realizing the potential diplomatic ramifications of his remarks, Alam deleted the post within two hours.

Previously, Alam had served as a special assistant to Muhammad Yunus, and Yunus has referred to him as the “mastermind” behind an operation that ousted Sheikh Hasina from power. Alam claims to be a student leader, although he dropped out of university in 2016.