BJP leader seeks return of Chattogram, Noakhali and Sylhet, blames Nehru’s decision
Photo: Nishikant Dubey
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Nishikant Dubey has claimed that India should take back the Noakhali, Sylhet and Chattogram regions of Bangladesh.
He alleged that these regions became part of East Pakistan during the 1947 Partition because of a decision made by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
In an interview with a media outlet, Dubey claimed that Maharaja Bir Bikram Singh of Tripura had wanted Noakhali, Sylhet and Chattogram to remain part of Tripura during the Partition. However, Nehru ignored his proposal. As a result, the regions became part of East Pakistan.
Dubey said the Maharaja had told Nehru that he had the right to decide Tripura’s future. He wanted to determine whether the region would become part of India, join Pakistan or remain independent. The Maharaja considered Noakhali, Sylhet and the Port of Chattogram to be part of Tripura.
The BJP lawmaker particularly highlighted the importance of the Port of Chattogram. He claimed that if the port had remained under India’s control, improving trade and connectivity in the country’s northeastern region would have been much easier.
He said losing the port had become a major obstacle to the region’s economic progress.
Dubey had previously sparked controversy by demanding the creation of a separate Union Territory comprising parts of West Bengal and Bihar.
He had also accused Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra of asking questions in Parliament in exchange for money. Dubey’s role later came under scrutiny when Moitra’s Lok Sabha membership was revoked.
The BJP lawmaker has now sparked fresh controversy by demanding that India take back three territories belonging to Bangladesh.
