The credibility of the 'anti-India' sentiments emerging in Bangladesh warrants scrutiny, as reality portrays a different narrative from what is depicted on social media
During the Ramadan celebrations, the markets of Kolkata were bustling with customers making festive purchases. Yet not all those bargaining with the shopkeepers or negotiating fares with the taxi drivers in fluent Bengali were locals. Indeed, the city’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport was busy serving customers arriving from neighbouring Bangladesh as was the Chitpur station where the Maitree Express and Bandhan Express arrive from Dhaka and Khulna. This vibrant scene was in sharp contrast to the viral videos on social media of shopkeepers in Dhaka refusing to sell Indian goods under the “Boycott Indian Products” and “India Out” slogans. Their protest was against India’s alleged interference in Bangladesh’s internal politics which reinstated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for a fifth term in office. These sentiments echo narratives of the Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that have been circulating since the election results were announced in January 2024. It is thus necessary to question the validity of the ‘anti-India’ sentiments brewing in Bangladesh and deliberate whether it is realistically feasible to lower the mutual dependence.
The city’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose airport was busy serving customers arriving from neighbouring Bangladesh as was the Chitpur station where the Maitree Express and Bandhan Express arrive from Dhaka and Khulna.
BNP has been vocal in its support of the ‘India Out’ campaign, which it terms as an organic protest stemming from the Bangladeshi populace. Its Senior Joint Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi stated that for the last 16 years, the Awami League government has been returning illegitimately to power, not through the votes of Bangladesh’s citizens but with India’s help and support. Rizvi was seen throwing his Kashmiri shawl from India on the street, followed by calls to the Bangladeshi women to forsake Indian sarees. The BNP campaign resembles the “India Out” campaign in the Maldives, initiated by President Mohammad Muizzu-led Progressive Party of Maldives, in 2023. It asserts that India aims to diminish Maldives' autonomy, using the military base being constructed on Uthuruthilafalhu island near Malé. Muizzu is considered to be close to China, and promised stronger ties with the ‘dragon’, in his electoral agenda.
As in the Maldives, in Bangladesh too, China has heavy investments. China is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, second largest source of foreign aid, and third largest source of foreign direct investment. However, the Awami League government has always maintained a diplomatic balance in its relationship with India and China, unlike the BNP which is pro-China. Thus, it is not surprising that while the BNP has been vehemently critical of India for its support of Sheikh Haisna’s government, it has been silent about China’s support of the same regime. Indeed, in the pre-poll scenario, the Chinese President Xi Jinping had vouched that China would stand by PM Hasina in resisting outside pressures. Post-election, Beijing reiterated its support to the Awami League, during an interaction between the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen and the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud. However, the BNP does not have a history of harmony with India, and one of its sternest critiques of the Awami League has been that it had made “Bangladesh a satellite of India.” Nonetheless, Bangladesh’s dependence on India cannot be denied.
India and Bangladesh share a geographically contiguous territory and there is, thus, an organic mutual dependence between the two countries with the need to share common resources. India ranks among Bangladesh’s top 10 sources of FDI; is its third-largest contributor of bilateral foreign assistance from non-aid group countries; and is its second-largest trading partner. A glance at the commodity list of Indian exports to Bangladesh, reveals daily necessities such as; fish, meat, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, beverages, cereals, oilseeds, sugar, soap, paper, silk, wool, cotton, and furniture among other essentials.
The proximity and shared cultural-linguistic ties between West Bengal in India and Bangladesh and the affordability of medical care in India have facilitated their travel and treatment.
India is also a primary destination of medical tourism, almost 54 percent of such visitors are Bangladeshis. The proximity and shared cultural-linguistic ties between West Bengal in India and Bangladesh and the affordability of medical care in India have facilitated their travel and treatment. As Bangladesh’s reliance on India is tied to its well-being, the anti-India campaign does not hold any empirical value apart from being a political agenda of the Opposition.
PM Hasina has thus correctly responded to this boycotting campaign, stating anecdotally that she will only believe in the Opposition’s will to refrain from Indian products if their leaders burn the Indian sarees of their wives and refuse to use Indian kitchen spices. As for the Indian government, Randhir Jaiswal, Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that “India-Bangladesh relations are very strong… We have a very comprehensive partnership that spans across sectors, from economy to trade to investment, development, cooperation, connectivity, and people to people, You name any human endeavour; it is part and parcel of India and Bangladesh… That is how vibrant this partnership is, and it will continue to be so.” Nonetheless, some Indian social media users have been triggered by the ‘anti-India’ content’, indicating a need for the two countries to engage in trust-building amongst their populaces.
In the post-pandemic era, as India and Bangladesh gear up for increased collaboration in the digital space, a key focus will be on social media platforms. To resolve the existing animosities in certain segments of both populations, there's a pressing need to involve the youth, who represent the future of both nations, in well-crafted joint initiatives which will emphasise their shared cultural, linguistic, and ethnic heritage.
Moreover, it's essential to cherish and commemorate the historic milestones in the relationship between the two nations, such as India's pivotal support during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971 and the friendship between Bangladesh’s Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and then-Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. These memories of solidarity serve as powerful reminders of the deep-rooted ties between the two nations.
PM Hasina has thus correctly responded to this boycotting campaign, stating anecdotally that she will only believe in the Opposition’s will to refrain from Indian products if their leaders burn the Indian sarees of their wives and refuse to use Indian kitchen spices.
The recent pandemic experience, marked by India's significant vaccine supply to Bangladesh through the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative, and Dhaka's swift assistance to India during its second wave of COVID-19 with Remdesivir doses and PPE kits, further underscores the need for mutual appreciation. Given that youth are mostly active users of social media, such exchanges should prominently feature on digital platforms. By leveraging the reach and accessibility of social media, these efforts will not only foster greater understanding and empathy between the citizens but also help cultivate a more harmonious future.
Sohini Bose is an Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation
Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury is a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation
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Sohini Bose is an Associate Fellow at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Kolkata with the Strategic Studies Programme. Her area of research is India’s eastern maritime ...
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Anasua Basu Ray Chaudhury is Senior Fellow with ORF’s Neighbourhood Initiative. She is the Editor, ORF Bangla. She specialises in regional and sub-regional cooperation in ...
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