Guwahati, April 1: Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, leader of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) and an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, has described India’s decision to relinquish control over the Chittagong Port in 1947 as the nation’s “biggest mistake.” He emphasized the need for a strategic sea route, arguing that India’s northeastern states must secure direct ocean access by supporting indigenous communities that historically ruled the region.
His remarks were in direct response to Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, who claimed that his country serves as the “guardian of the ocean” (Bay of Bengal) while noting that India’s seven northeastern states remain landlocked.
Sharing a video of Yunus’s statement on the social media platform X, Debbarma countered the claim, stressing that India must reduce its dependence on Bangladesh. He highlighted that many inhabitants of Chittagong at the time of independence had sought to join the Indian Union but were left out of the final partition arrangement.
“Mr. Yunus may consider himself the guardian of the ocean, but at nearly 85 years of age, he is merely a temporary leader,” Debbarma remarked. “Tripura is only a few miles away from the Chittagong port, and history shows that the hill people of the region always wanted to be part of India.”
The port, located about 75 kilometers from Tripura’s Sabroom Land Port, is crucial for regional trade and connectivity.
Pushing for a more assertive stance, Debbarma suggested that India should actively engage with indigenous communities in Bangladesh, including the Tripuri, Garo, Khasi, and Chakma people, many of whom, he claims, live in poor conditions in their traditional lands. “Rather than spending billions on complex engineering projects, we should recognize the historical and strategic importance of these regions and ensure that both India’s national interests and the well-being of indigenous groups are safeguarded,” he asserted.
