Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has strongly reacted to the statement made by Bangladesh interim government advisor Mohammad Yunus on the Siliguri Corridor i.e. ‘Chicken Neck’. He clearly warned that if Bangladesh raises its eyes towards this sensitive land of India, then India will also attack its two chicken necks. Sarma said that Bangladesh will have to take birth 14 times only then it will be able to think of attacking India. His statement can definitely become a cause of concern for Bangladesh.
Concern increased due to China’s help on Lalmonirhat airbase
This reaction of Himanta Biswa Sarma has come after reports that China is helping in reconstructing an old airbase of the Second World War era in Lalmonirhat, Bangladesh. This airbase is just 100 kilometers away from India’s Siliguri Corridor. Renowned geostrategic expert Brahma Chellaney has also warned that if this airbase becomes active, China will be able to monitor and spy on the activities, bases and infrastructure of the Indian army. Especially India’s Chicken Neck can come under its target.
How important is India’s Siliguri Corridor
Siliguri Corridor or Chicken Neck is a very sensitive and strategically important area for India. It is a thin landmass only 22 kilometers wide which connects seven states of India’s Northeast to the mainland. It borders Nepal and Bhutan to the north, Bangladesh to the south and China to the east. After China’s rapid progress in the 1962 war, it became clear that if this corridor is attacked or blocked, the entire Northeast can be cut off from India. This is the reason why China’s activism in this region and Bangladesh’s provocative statements have become a matter of concern for Indian security agencies.
Bangladesh’s two Chicken Necks and India’s strategic warning
Himanta Biswa Sarma has also described two very sensitive areas of Bangladesh as ‘Chicken Neck’. The first Chicken Neck connects Bangladesh’s Chittagong port to the rest of the country, which comes between South West Garo Hills of Meghalaya and South Dinajpur of West Bengal. It is thinner than India’s Siliguri Corridor and can be easily closed. The second Chicken Neck is in Bangladesh’s Rangpur Division, which is a narrow landmass near Meghalaya and connects the administrative areas of Bangladesh. Regarding the geographical weakness of these two areas, Himanta has warned that if Bangladesh dares to show its eyes to India, then India also has the full power to respond.
