Burn Indian saris first: Sheikh Hasina Urges Against 'Boycott India' Campaigners

Burn Indian saris first: Sheikh Hasina Urges Against 'Boycott India' Campaigners

Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, mentioned that opposition leaders pushing for a boycott of Indian products should openly disclose how many Indian sarees their wives own. She questioned why these leaders aren't setting these sarees on fire if they're advocating for a boycott.

Speaking at a gathering of her party, the ruling Awami League, where she leads as president, Ms. Hasina strongly criticized leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) who are urging people to stop buying Indian goods. She asked, "I want to know, how many Indian sarees do their wives own? And why aren't they taking those sarees and burning them? Can someone please ask the BNP leaders?".

The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, who won her fourth term in office in this year's elections, mentioned that when the BNP was in charge, government ministers and their wives would buy sarees during trips to India and then sell them in Bangladesh.

Next, Sheikh Hasina discussed Indian spices and their significance in Bangladeshi cuisine. She remarked, "Items such as garam masala, onions, garlic, and ginger, all sourced from India, should not be present in the households of BNP leaders."

The comments were made following a symbolic protest by BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, who threw his Kashmiri shawl onto the road as a form of protest against Indian products, as reported by media

These events are happening as part of an 'India-Out' campaign in Bangladesh. Some activists and influencers started this campaign, and it's supported by some politicians from the Opposition. The campaign gained momentum after the Awami League won a recent election that the Opposition BNP chose to boycott.

People in the campaign say that India supports Sheikh Hasina to remain in power because it benefits from the current situation.

While some BNP leaders like Mr. Rizvi have expressed support for the campaign, the party hasn't clearly stated its position. According to a media report, Sayrul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP's media cell, mentioned, "Our party discussed the issue when some leaders wanted clarity on our stance regarding the boycott call. Currently, our party hasn't officially taken a position on it. However, it's true that this is a popular demand, and some of our leaders are backing it."