How do the businessmen of the country see this campaign of boycotting Indian products?
For quite some time now, many social media users have been campaigning specifically for the boycott of Indian products. Several groups have also been opened in which thousands of people have become members. Many people here claim that they have now started using products of the country or other countries instead of Indian products.
They are calling for the use of products produced by various Bangladeshi companies as an alternative to the daily consumables which are imported from India. Attaching pictures or advertisements of those products.
They have put in the list soap, shampoo, face wash, toiletries like toothpaste and many other products including bottled water, disinfectants, mosquito repellents. Many are also writing about baby food from car or motorcycle tires.
What the sellers are saying?
Owner of multiple shops in a shopping mall in Dhaka. It deals in cosmetics and other daily use products imported from different countries. "Earlier, some buyers avoided Indian products. A few such customers were seen every week.''
At the marginal level, changes have been seen in the retail sector. For example, in small shops, instead of Indian or international soft drinks of other brands, Bangladeshi company drinks are being sold more. Bangladesh is the largest importer of industrial raw materials from India.
A large part of the trade between the two countries passes through the Benapole-Petrapole border.
Clearing and Forwarding - C&F agents at this land port say three months ago where 300 to 350 trucks were entering Bangladesh a day. According to the website of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, India exported 97 types of products to Bangladesh in the fiscal year 2022-23.
According to the United Nations Trade Database, Bangladesh imported about three billion dollars in this sector from India in that financial year.
Oil and other mineral fuels are in second position. India's income is about two billion dollars.
Foodgrains with more than 1.5 billion dollar exports are in the third position.
Besides, the food products imported from the country to Bangladesh include onions, milk and dairy products, edible oils including sunflower and soybean oil, sugar, honey, soft drinks, chips, biscuits, chocolates and candies.
Why the call to boycott Indian products?
Calls to boycott Indian products in Bangladesh are not new. This kind of call has been seen on several occasions before. Political, economic and cultural aggression is mentioned as the reason. However, since the election of the twelfth national parliament of Bangladesh, this kind of movement has gained a new dimension.
A section of social media users started a campaign calling for boycott of Indian products.
Some such groups have been found to have multiple members. In a video that has gone viral on YouTube, a young man is campaigning to boycott Indian products with a hand mic in Dhaka's Olli-Gali.
The use of hashtags 'India Out' and 'BoycottIndianProducts' can be seen in such content on social media. All seven have been making anti-India statements since the January elections. Several top leaders of the latest opposition BNP have been seen expressing solidarity with the campaign.
Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, a member of the BNP's standing committee, said that it had come into political discussion because of 'public anger' over India.
“Elections are actually activated by India without any protection so people could not vote or were disenfranchised. Anger has developed from that deprivation. It is not BNP's job to reduce people's anger", he said.
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said at a press briefing on Sunday that the call for a boycott of Indian goods was aimed at 'destabilizing the market and increasing the prices of goods'. However, even before India called for the boycott movement, the price of essential commodities in Bangladesh was very high.
What is the impact on imports?
Bangladesh imports from India every year is about 14 billion dollars. In the list of countries from which most goods are imported into Bangladesh, India is next to China.
Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of India Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries said, due to geographical location, more products are imported from India to Bangladesh. Because products which are imported from India,
Commodity importers say that India is the first choice of importers even though the raw materials for the industry are available in other countries, such as onion, chilli or rice.
Benapole Land Port Clearing and Forwarding Agent Sajon Enterprise Manager. Shafiur Rahman said, "If an LC is opened today for India's raw materials, the product enters tomorrow's truck." If the product is released earlier in the market, the business is also better. But, if you want to import from any other country, you have to go through lengthy procedures, says Mr. Rahman
"If you want to bring from a faraway country, you have to open an LC and sit for 15 days. Business risk increases then.”
Abul Hossain, the importer of Benapole land port, said that due to the dollar crisis, there were some complications. Velocity had to be gained to open the LC. He says that the 'crisis' is not over yet. Moreover, due to India's ban on the export of onion, the import of this product is also stopped for the time being.
However, one of the economists of Bangladesh says that if there is any 'issue', it should be resolved through discussion, not by boycotting the product.
CPD Honorary Fellow Mostafizur Rahman said, “Bangladesh has many 'challenging issues' with India. Many may have different views. That needs to be addressed as well.”
But it is a matter of thinking whether it will be effective by boycotting the product or through bilateral talks, Mr. added. Rahman
According to him, anything that weakens the economy will be harmful in the end. There are also some issues that need to be resolved through bilateral talks with India.
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