What is 'Chicken's Neck'? What steps has India taken to tighten noose around Bangladesh?

At a time when the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Bangladesh is coming closer to Pakistan, much to the chagrin of India, New Delhi has taken some significant steps to checkmate it. With these preemptive steps, India will not only safeguard its security, but it will also tighten the noose around Dhaka. It has set up three new garrisons along the Indo-Bangladesh border, at Bamuni, Kishanganj, and Chopra. With this, New Delhi will secure the strategic Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the 'Chicken’s Neck.'

What is 'Chicken's Neck?'

The "Chicken's Neck" is a stretch of land around the city of Siliguri in West Bengal, India. About 20–22 kilometres at the narrowest section, this geopolitical and geoeconomical corridor connects the seven states of northeast India to the rest of India. Nepal and Bangladesh lie on each side of the corridor, and Bhutan is situated at the northern end of the corridor. Considering the vulnerability of the area, India is mulling the idea of building railway lines through Jogbani in Bihar. This line would enter Biratnagar in Nepal and then connect with New Mal Junction in West Bengal.

(Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck)

Bangladesh-Pakistan ties

India's concern increased after Pakistan Army’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Sahir Shamshad Mirza visited Dhaka and discussed connectivity and defence cooperation. Earlier, top officials of the Bangladesh government and some of its retired army officials made brazen comments, challenging India's sovereignty. Maj. Gen. (retired) ALM Fazlur Rahman, a former head of the Bangladesh Rifles, made the provocative remarks most brazenly. He took to social media and wrote in a post on Facebook, "If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy seven states of NortheastIndia. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint military system with China."

Muhammad Yunus irks India

Muhammad Yunus also made a comment that upset India. On his March 26-29 visit to China, the Nobel laureate said that Northeast India is “landlocked,” and Dhaka was the “only guardian of the ocean for all this region.” Talking to a journalist, he said, "The seven states of eastern India, known as the Seven Sisters, are a landlocked region. They have no direct access to the ocean." The Nobel laureate economist added, "We are the only guardian of the ocean for this entire region. This opens up a huge opportunity. It could become an extension of the Chinese economy—build things, produce things, market things, bring goods to China, and export them to the rest of the world."