BNP Joins “India Out” Movement: Momentum Grows for Boycott of Indian Products in Bangladesh
Following the January 7 elections in Bangladesh, a group of pioneering YouTubers, led by Pinaki Bhattacharya, advocated for a boycott of Indian products. Pinaki Bhattacharya emerged as a key figure in spearheading this movement, with his early involvement galvanizing support from other influential personalities. As more prominent figures joined the cause, the campaign gained momentum, garnering increasing popularity.
It appears that following Maldives, Bangladesh, another neighbor of India, has joined the ‘India Out’ movement. The call to boycott Indian products is gaining traction in Bangladesh. Notably, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, a Maldivian politician, rose to power on the platform of the ‘India Out’ campaign in Maldives.
After the January 7 elections in Bangladesh, several prominent YouTubers, including Pinaki Bhattacharya, initiated calls for boycotting Indian products. Pinaki Bhattacharya can be considered a key figure in this movement, being among the first to advocate for it. In response to his call, many influential personalities joined the campaign, contributing to its growing popularity.
Critics argue that India has unjustly deprived the people of Bangladesh of their electoral rights and is unfairly supporting the current government. Allegations suggest that with India’s backing, the current government has seized power and is avoiding impartial oversight in elections. Opposition parties, including the main party in Bangladesh, boycotted the last election, but the government formed a pseudo-opposition party from within its own ranks and retained power, with India’s support being a key factor. Therefore, proponents of the movement argue that until India’s influence is completely eradicated from Bangladesh, the democratic rights of its people will not be fully restored.
While this campaign has been ongoing at an individual and grassroots level on social media for some time, the main opposition party in Bangladesh, the BNP, has officially joined the movement. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi symbolically commenced the boycott of Indian products by discarding an Indian-made sheet in front of the BNP central office in Nayapaltan. Rizvi highlighted that the ‘India Out’ campaign has gained significant momentum, with widespread protests and boycotts of Indian goods on social media indicating strong public support. He emphasized that 63 pro-democracy parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), along with patriotic citizens, are expressing solidarity in the movement to boycott Indian products.