"India a nuclear nation, fourth-largest economy": Assam CM slams Bangladesh over calls for "separating Northeast"

Hojai (Assam) [India], December 16 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday criticised "anti-India discussions" in Bangladesh, alleging that the neighbouring country has repeatedly discussed separating the Northeast from India.
Speaking to reporters, the Assam CM called for 'not helping Bangladesh too much'.
He said, "For the past year, there has been repeated discussion in Bangladesh about separating the Northeast from India and making it a part of Bangladesh. India is a nuclear nation and the fourth-largest economy. The people of Bangladesh have a bad mindset. We shouldn't help them too much and should teach them a lesson that we will not remain silent if they behave this way towards India."
This comes after alleged anti-India sentiments on social media in the neighbouring country.
Bangladesh Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus, reportedly, shared a distorted map of Northeast India with the Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, in October 2025.
General Sahir Shamshad Mirza paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna. "During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh-Pakistan relations, including the growing importance of bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation," the Chief Adviser's Press Wing said in a statement on October 26.
Even last year, India lodged a strong protest with Bangladesh over a now-deleted post by a senior Bangladeshi leader, Mahfuz Alam and sternly asked "all concerned" to be mindful of their public comments. The map of Bangladesh posted by Alam included the Indian territories of Bengal, Assam and Tripura as parts of Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, in Hojai, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the distribution of entrepreneurship seed capital cheques to selected women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan in the Lumding and Barpeta assembly constituencies.
In the Lumding constituency, a total of 27,310 women received cheques under the scheme, including 24,100 women from rural areas and 3,210 from urban areas. In the Barpeta constituency, 20,336 women were covered, of whom 15,737 were from rural areas and 4,599 from urban areas.