Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday welcomed the decision of the central government to withdraw the transshipment facility that allowed Bangladesh to route its export cargo to third countries through Indian ports and airports.

Sarma welcomed the decision, asserting that it reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s steadfast commitment to the security and development of the Northeast.

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“India’s decision to revoke the transshipment facility for Bangladesh underscores Hon’ble Prime Minister @narendramodi’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding national interests and the security of the Northeast region,” CM Sarma said in a post on X.

“This decisive action reflects the government’s firm stance on protecting India’s strategic and economic priorities,” he added.

The now-scrapped facility had enabled Bangladeshi goods bound for destinations such as the Middle East and Europe to pass through India’s Land Customs Stations (LCSs), ports, and airports.

However, the Ministry of External Affairs noted that this arrangement had resulted in congestion at Indian ports and airports, contributing to delays and cost escalations for domestic exporters.

The decision follows a diplomatic stir caused by remarks made by Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, during a recent visit to China. Yunus described India’s Northeastern states as “landlocked” and portrayed Bangladesh as the “only guardian” of the Indian Ocean for the region.

Sarma had earlier condemned Yunus’s statement as “offensive and strongly condemnable”, calling for urgent efforts to explore alternate connectivity corridors for the Northeast that do not rely on the narrow Siliguri Corridor, commonly known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’.