Dhaka, Bangladesh – Amid accusations of Indian interference in national elections, there is a call to boycott Indian products in Bangladesh.
Last week, a supplier to Indian consumer goods giant Marico faced a cold reception in Dhaka's Panthapath area. Grocery stores, usually eager to stock their shelves with hair oil, cooking oil, body lotions and other products, refused to accept new deliveries.
“Sales of parachute oil, a Marico bestseller, have plummeted to almost zero in recent weeks,” said local trader Aman Ullah. “Indian products are simply not moving. “We are stuck with unsold stock and we will not replenish.”
Another shop owner who requested anonymity revealed a deeper reason: “I don't want to sell Indian products anymore.” He cited YouTube videos advocating a boycott of Indian products, which he staunchly supported.
Simmering anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has boiled over in the past decade, culminating in public displays such as the celebrations in Dhaka last year after India's defeat in the Cricket World Cup final.
But after last month's elections in Bangladesh, in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a fourth term as the opposition boycotted the polls, a massive “India Out” campaign was launched, alleging Indian interference in Bangladeshi politics.
The Bangladeshi diaspora and opposition groups have fueled this anti-India movement and have advocated boycotting Indian products. This move mirrors similar campaigns in the Maldives, where Mohamed Muizzu capitalized on anti-India sentiment to win the presidential election.
In Dhaka, the campaign was launched against the backdrop of India's traditionally strong ties with the Hasina government and its tense relationship with the opposition, leading many to believe that India favored the status quo.
Exiled Bangladeshi doctor Pinaki Bhattacharya, who fled alleged government harassment in 2018, has become the key figure in this burgeoning social media movement that accuses India of interfering in recent Bangladesh elections to keep Hasina in office. can.
Through his more than two million followers on social media platforms, Bhattacharya launched the #BoycottIndia campaign in mid-January, urging them to join “this monumental effort.” His call, which emphasized love of country and determination to free oneself from what they perceived as shackles, resonated with thousands of people.
The anti-India movement has emerged online, fueled by user-generated content. Photos of crossed out Indian products like Amul butter and Dabur honey are doing the rounds along with barcode identification tips to boycott these products. A single post highlighting the 890 prefix used in barcodes on Indian products garnered more than 1,000 shares, demonstrating the online reach of the movement.
Why did the campaign gain traction?
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka rejected Al Jazeera's request to comment on this anti-India campaign.
At a January 30 Mumbai forum with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, attendees expressed concern about India's foreign policy amid perceived changes in regional dynamics, particularly the growing attraction of China, its main rival, over neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and the Maldives.
Jaishankar downplayed concerns about foreign policy shortcomings but acknowledged the competitive reality. He noted that China's geographical proximity naturally gives it influence over neighboring countries such as Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and ruling Awami League lawmaker Mohammad A. Arafat also dismissed concerns saying Bangladesh had received global attention due to the unprecedented fourth term for the ruling government.
“If I have to talk about other countries' interest in our local politics, then the first name I would mention is the United States, which even declared a visa restriction policy based on the Bangladesh elections. On the other hand, India, from the beginning officially declared that the elections in Bangladesh are an internal matter and has no say in it,” Arafat said.
Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the Awami League, told Al Jazeera that the “India out” campaign is led by opposition parties who, instead of participating in the elections, blame “India for their misfortune.”
“They [the opposition parties] “We have the leverage to attack India if something goes against them,” Quader said. “I don't think the common people of Bangladesh will support this campaign. They know that the Awami League will never act against the interests of the people.”
Meanwhile, the burgeoning anti-India campaign is finding strength in Bangladesh's domestic political landscape, raising concerns about a possible destabilization of Bangladesh's economy and an impact on regional relations.
Gono Odhikar Parishad, a rising political force aligned with the opposition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is promoting the boycott movement. Party leader Nurul Haque Nur declared at a recent rally in Dhaka that “we all have to start an 'India Out' campaign,” while alleging Indian interference in the recent elections.
Rumeen Farhana, BNP international affairs secretary, told Al Jazeera that the people of Bangladesh never liked India's interference in Bangladeshi politics. “It is now very clear that India did everything possible to keep the regime in power since 2014,” he said.
Anti-India resentment reached a boiling point in Bangladesh after Hasina's Awami League scored a resounding victory in the Jan. 7 election, capturing 223 seats out of 300 in parliament. Critics alleged that the process lacked legitimacy due to the opposition boycott and the presence of numerous independent candidates backed by the Awami League, raising questions about the fairness of the vote.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to congratulate both Hasina and the “people of Bangladesh on the successful conduct of the elections,” endorsing the result. By contrast, Western governments expressed reservations, highlighting the boycott and the lack of a strong opposition presence.
Farhana said anti-India public sentiment in Bangladesh goes beyond politics. “The border carnage, unresolved water sharing of 53 rivers, including the Teesta, and trade deficit play a role in it,” she said.
According to human rights organization Odhikar, around 1,276 Bangladeshis have been killed and 1,183 injured by Indian border forces since 2010. Then there are the decades-old unresolved agreements to share water from 53 cross-border rivers, in addition to the huge Bangladesh's trade deficit with India, all of which has raised concerns about Bangladesh's sovereignty and economic independence.
Ali Riaz, distinguished professor of politics and government at Illinois State University, told Al Jazeera that India's unconditional support for the Awami League and Hasina during the 2024 elections has raised questions among many citizens about “whether it has compromised the sovereignty of the country.”
However, Sreeradha Datta, a professor at the Jindal School of International Affairs in Sonepat, India, refuted claims of India's “unconditional support” and said the Awami League was “creative in topping the polls even if India [had] In disagreement[d] recognize the choice.”
“China and many others congratulated Prime Minister Hasina right after the elections, so would it make any difference if India did not support her?” she asked.
The economic consequences
Meanwhile, analysts noted that boycotting Indian products could have major repercussions on the economic relationship between the two countries.
India is a major exporter to Bangladesh, with annual trade historically exceeding $12 billion. Additionally, Bangladesh is heavily dependent on India for essential commodities, and the two governments are currently in talks over an annual quota of imports of Indian agricultural products.
Munshi Faiz Ahmed, former president of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, a state-funded think tank, called the anti-India campaign a “political stunt,” telling Al Jazeera that the economic consequences of boycotting India Indian products will be more serious. for Bangladesh.
“I don't think any rational Bangladeshi would choose to participate in this campaign. India is our neighboring country and we depend heavily on them for our daily essentials like rice and onions. We are dependent because we get those products at the cheapest prices due to geographical proximity,” Ahmed said, adding that sourcing those products elsewhere would cost much more.
Jyoti Rahman, an Australia-based economist, told Al Jazeera that the “India Out” movement may be politically important to the extent that it “sends a strong message to Indian policymakers” about growing discontent in Bangladesh, but the “effects economics are less clear.” cut”.
Rahman pointed out that despite being India's fourth largest export destination, Bangladesh still accounts for around 3.5 per cent of the Indian export market. “Even if all exports to Bangladesh were stopped, it would probably not significantly affect the Indian economy as these products would find markets elsewhere,” Rahman said.
On the other hand, he said, a fifth of Bangladesh's imports come from India, including essential products such as cotton for the garment sector, grains and agricultural products such as onions. “[Looking at] Other sources of imports of these products could further fuel inflation,” Rahman said.
However, he highlighted the potential political effectiveness of boycotting non-essential items such as tourism, cultural imports such as Bollywood films and consumer products, which he said could benefit domestic industries.
Bangladesh's overwhelming dependence on India also means that “Indian businesses are vulnerable if that movement gains traction and support,” Riaz said.
Even if the economic impacts are limited or not immediate, the boycotts will contribute to public discourse about India's role in Bangladesh politics and highlight the unequal relationship, he said. “This is no less important.”
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