An artwork titled ‘Art of Triumph,’ presented by Bangladesh’s Interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to a visiting Turkish parliamentary delegation, has ignited significant regional controversy. This presentation follows similar disclosures to a Pakistani military official. Intelligence sources indicate the ‘artwork’ was more than just a visual piece, reportedly containing strategic ‘battle plans’ and ‘post-victory management frameworks’ proposing Assam, India, as a region under Dhaka’s influence.
The same controversial map, outlining a ‘Greater Bangladesh’ vision encompassing India’s northeastern states, particularly Assam, was previously shared with Nurul Izzah Anwar, vice president of Malaysia’s People’s Justice Party, and representatives of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
Sources familiar with the matter suggest these presentations were deliberate strategic signals, aimed at specific transnational Islamist networks that perceive Bangladesh’s interim leadership as a key component of broader strategic consolidation. The timing of these gestures is under intense scrutiny, coinciding with Turkey’s expanding influence across South and Southeast Asia through military cooperation, drone technology, and ideological partnerships. Turkey has notably strengthened its ties with Dhaka since early 2024, fostering training programs, defense collaborations, and technology investments, viewing Bangladesh as a strategic counterweight to India’s growing regional power.
For Bangladesh’s interim government, these burgeoning ties with Ankara offer crucial international legitimacy and new defense connections amid domestic uncertainty. Analysts view the ‘Greater Bangladesh’ reference as the first overt territorial assertion from Dhaka’s interim administration, potentially designed to gauge regional reactions and solidify support among Islamist factions both domestically and internationally. Indian security agencies are reportedly monitoring these developments with heightened attention, concerned about the potential for rhetorical escalation and increased tensions along a sensitive border region.