Nefarious designs

There has been no let-up in the ongoing propaganda blitz against India in Bangladesh. This includes calls for the boycott of Indian goods, designed on the lines of what had started in Maldives some time back. Government circles and pro-India political parties are hopeful that this is a temporary passing phase. Yet, it would appear advisable to delve deeper into the causes and the perverse minds behind this conspiracy to try and derail Indo-Bangladesh relations.

Knowledgeable sources, in the meantime, convincingly assert that it is the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), frustrated by its repeated failures to come back to power for the last nearly two decades, which is blindly following a script handed over by the Pakistani intelligence agencies to carry out such a vicious propaganda. Hence, it would be naïve to think that Pakistan which, in collusion with China, is spearheading the anti-India campaign in Maldives, is not directly or indirectly complicit in the campaign being carried out in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh social media is flooded with narratives which are unsavoury and detrimental to the Indian interests, and its tenor and syntax being completely anti-Indian, are harming the bilateral bonds. However, to put things in perspective, it may be recalled that there had been anti-Indian sentiments prevailing in Bangladesh even soon after the independence attained way back in 1971. The issue of Farakka, Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves etc. remained in focus in the late 1970s and early 1980s, fuelling anti-India feelings leading to mass street protests and demonstrations criticising India for alleged unfair deal against Bangladesh.

Today's prevailing sentiments are being carried out at the behest of the anti-Indian chairperson of the BNP, Tarique Rahman, who is exiled in London and is believed to be acting under the express instructions of Pakistan's Deep State to target Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the ruling party Awami League (AL), and to impair India's growing relations with Bangladesh. The BNP has lost much of its momentum by boycotting the elections of 2014 and 2024, resulting in a profound loss of its political presence at the grassroots level and denting its organisational capabilities. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's deteriorating health has also contributed to the BNP's frustration. Consequently, its Dhaka-based leadership is supporting the Boycott Indian Movement. Its leader, Ruhul Rizvi, went to the extent of throwing his Kashmiri shawl at a public place, openly calling for a boycott of Indian products. This was a clear act of provocation and an attempt to galvanise anti-India elements to join the fray and add strength to the momentum of the anti-India campaign. However, this is unlikely to work in the long run.

The campaign to boycott Indian goods, similar to initiatives in the Maldives, calls for a close examination of India and Bangladesh's trade ties. It is common knowledge that economic collaboration has been one of the critical factors leading to Bangladesh’s growing prosperity, with shared land borders and well-established transportation facilities facilitating the movement of goods mostly at a lower cost compared to imports from distant locations like China. Statistically, India is Bangladesh’s second-largest import source, with goods worth 13.69 billion US dollars entering the Bangladesh market in the last couple of years. According to an Indian expert on Bangladesh, the principal theme in India’s exports to Bangladesh is the supply chain for the textile industry.

According to Professor Sanjay K Bhardwaj, a well-known scholar who is considered an authority on Bangladesh, a dominant theme in India’s exports to Bangladesh is the supply chain for the textile industry. Bangladesh’s garment manufacturing sector, a key driver of its economic growth, relies heavily on raw materials and intermediate goods from India. In 2022, non-retail pure cotton yarn and raw cotton (20.1 percent of total imports) were among India’s top exports. These materials are transformed into yarn and fabric in Bangladeshi factories before being used to manufacture garments for domestic consumption and export. While textiles remain on top, India also supplies Bangladesh with refined petroleum, which is crucial for powering industries and transportation. Other significant imports include pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and machinery, highlighting the multifaceted nature of this trade relationship. Recently, India exported 50,000 tons of onions to Bangladesh ahead of Ramzan, an exception to the export ban on the crop in December 2023. This is in addition to essential commodities such as garlic, coconut oil, and spices.

Reacting against the anti-India campaign, AL leaders, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have argued that if the boycott campaign is steadfast, even “garam masala, onions, garlic, ginger, and all spices that come from India should not be seen in their (BNP leaders’) homes.” Judging by these disturbing developments, both countries need to join hands to combat the menace. The civil rights groups and civil societies, which are numerous and supportive of India, need to be revisited in order to harness their potential to launch a counter-narrative to neutralise this anti-India wave of campaigning. It would seem that the government alone cannot do the needful but can put in place a mechanism to monitor social media, which is largely responsible for vitiating the harmony between India and Bangladesh. This task must be undertaken without any further delay as it might be too late if it assumes more damaging proportions.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, Adviser NatStrat, and a former National Security Advisor in Mauritius. Views expressed are personal