🇧🇩 Analysis of Sponsored Trend of Boycotting Indian Products on Bangladeshi Social MediaEchoes of Maldives

[Vikings]

In Bangladesh, an “India Out” campaign has suddenly emerged on social media, accusing India of interfering in Bangladeshi politics. Users running this campaign, are urging Bangladeshi citizens to boycott Indian products. Moreover, three hashtags are employed for this campaign which include: #Indiaout #BoycottIndia #BoycottIndianproducts.

However, the trend of boycotts on social media does not appear natural. A closer examination of this trend reveals that the group that began this campaign has always been engaged in anti-India activities in Bangladesh. Several users among them, are either indirectly associated with the political parties of Bangladesh (mainly BNP), or claim to be their supporters. In this DFRAC report, we have conducted a detailed analysis of all such aspects.

Beginning of ‘India Out’ Campaign

A Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer stated in a Facebook post that “India Out” gained traction after exiled Bangladeshi social activist Pinaki Bhattacharya began posting on it. He wrote: “The “India Out” campaign has gained more popularity than experts had anticipated. Pinaki Bhattacharya – a Bangladeshi social activist in exile who is also a medical specialist by profession, called for the boycott of Indian goods following the highly contentious and one-sided elections in Bangladesh”.
As per Al Jazeera’s media report, Exiled Bangladeshi physician Pinaki Bhattacharya, who fled alleged government harassment in 2018, has emerged as the key figure in this burgeoning social media movement accusing India of interfering in Bangladesh’s recent elections to keep Hasina in power.

Who is Pinaki Bhattacharya?​

Pinaki Bhattacharya describes himself as a blogger and social worker. During his youth, he was involved in the leftist student movement. He became a prominent online figure with 19 books on Bangladesh’s political history, society and human rights. He has more than 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and 5 lakh 45k followers on Facebook. Furthermore, he sustains 52.4k followers on X(Twitter).

Cases Against Bhattacharya​

Pinaki Bhattacharya has been booked under the Digital Security Act (DSA) by Bangladesh’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC). He was accused of disseminating False rumours and misinformation.

Allegations associated with counterfeit medicine​

According to a media report by In Depth News, Pinaki Bhattacharya, fled Bangladesh when authorities pressed charges of producing counterfeit medicine and amphetamine inside his pharmaceutical factory.

Accusations of working for ISI​

Weeklyblitz has published a media report citing reliable sources about Pinaki’s alleged links with the Pakistani Intelligence Agency (ISI). The report stated: “According to credible sources, years ago, Pinaki, a diehard anti- India individual was hired by Pakistani spy agency Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) for running propaganda against India and promoting anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. In addition to his nefarious propaganda against Bangladesh, Pinaki has been categorically active in running propaganda offensives against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Other targets of Pinaki Bhattacharya are the United States, Israel, Britain, European Union and secularist forces, Pinaki has also been supportive to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as well as other parts of India”.

Bhattacharya’s #BoycottIndianProducts Campaign​

Pinaki wrote: “I said that women should lead this boycott movement. Women have come forward in leadership. We will move forward with the strength of maternal power. Just see how it works. Where did our fight go? It’s invincible.


Pinaki Bhattacharya has created numerous videos on YouTube along with the title of boycotting Indian products. He uploaded his first video on YouTube on January 17, 2024. In the description provided with this video, he wrote – “India is becoming stronger due to our purchasing power. He has become financially strong and is taking away our rights. Today we have announced the boycott of Indian products. Come, let us boycott Indian products until Star Box is released in three months. No procession, no meeting, no blood donation, no fighting, no jail. Just a peaceful boycott. Don’t go to India. Go to Bangkok-Singapore for treatment, not India. When you go to India, we will make such arrangements that the hatred of the public does not fall on you.”
Pinaki has created 10 videos on YouTube concerning the boycott of Indian products, which can be seen in the collage provided below.


Followed by the call for the boycott of India and Indian products on YouTube on January 17, Pinaki has been found consistently sharing posts on Facebook and the X platform. Subsequently, he went viral on social media in Bangladesh when he employed the hashtag Boycotting Indian Products on January 18.

Viewership of #Boycott IndianProducts on Pinaki’s channel​

Upon investigating Pinaki’s YouTube channel, it was observed that he has published 7 videos featuring the hashtag #Boycott IndianProducts. All these videos are viewed by the audience on a large scale. Not only this, but it was also discovered that a video on this issue was viewed by more than 1.3 million viewers.

Social Media Handles running #India Out​

Numerous Bangladeshi users have shared the post with the #IndiaOut hashtag. However, there is an account named Revolt (@revolt_71), which frequently tweets on #BoycottIndia, #IndiaOut and #BoycottIndianProducts. On examining this account, it was revealed that it had tweeted several times before using hashtags like #BoycottIndia and #IndiaOut. Notably, when Pinaki Bhattacharya began #BoycottIndianProducts, a user named Revolt also started posting consistently.

Read the rest from source.....

 

[TheNewb77]

Unfortunately the link is showing blank now after I have posted the tread! Wait trying to find another news
!

The links to the source work just fine.

 

[Vikings]

The links to the source work just fine.

Oh I see! But I've already changed the link with body and headline! However if it worked , you can retrieve old link with body. Thanks
.

 

[Bilal9]

‘India Out’ campaigns simmer in Bangladesh amid election fallout​

Story by Faisal Mahmud

Amid allegations of Indian interference in national elections, there’s a call to boycott Indian goods in Bangladesh.

Last week, a supplier for the Indian consumer goods giant Marico faced a chilly reception in Dhaka’s Panthapath area. Grocery shops, usually eager to stock their shelves with its hair oil, cooking oil, body lotion and other products, refused to take new deliveries.

“Sales of Parachute oil, a Marico bestseller, have plummeted to almost zero in recent weeks,” local shopkeeper Aman Ullah said. “Indian products just aren’t moving. We’re stuck with unsold stock and won’t be restocking.”


Another shop owner who requested anonymity revealed a deeper reason: “I don’t want to sell Indian products any more.” He cited YouTube videos advocating a boycott of Indian goods, which he wholeheartedly supported.

Simmering anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has boiled over in the past decade, culminating in public displays such as celebrations in Dhaka last year after India’s loss in the Cricket World Cup final.

But after last month’s elections in Bangladesh, in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured a fourth term while the opposition boycotted the polls, a massive “India Out” campaign was launched, alleging Indian interference in Bangladesh politics.

The Bangladeshi diaspora and opposition groups have fuelled this anti-India movement and advocated boycotts of Indian products. This movement mirrors similar campaigns in the Maldives, where Mohamed Muizzu capitalized on anti-India sentiment to win the presidential election.

In Dhaka, the campaign was launched against the backdrop of India’s traditionally strong ties with Hasina’s government and its strained relationship with the opposition, leading many to believe India favoured the status quo.

Exiled Bangladeshi physician Pinaki Bhattacharya, who fled alleged government harassment in 2018, has emerged as the key figure in this burgeoning social media movement accusing India of interfering in Bangladesh’s recent elections to keep Hasina in power.

Through his more than two million followers across social media platforms, Bhattacharya launched the #BoycottIndia campaign in mid-January, urging them to join “this monumental endeavour”. His call, emphasizing love of homeland and determination to break free from perceived shackles, resonated with thousands.

The anti-India movement has surged online, fuelled by user-generated content. Photos of crossed-out Indian products like Amul butter and Dabur honey are circulating alongside barcode identification tips to boycott these goods. A single post highlighting the 890 prefix used in barcodes for Indian products garnered more than 1,000 shares, showcasing the movement’s online reach.

Why did the campaign gain traction?​

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka declined Al Jazeera’s request for a comment on this anti-India campaign.

At a Mumbai forum on January 30 with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, attendees raised concerns about India’s foreign policy amid perceived shifts in regional dynamics, particularly the growing pull of major rival China on neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and the Maldives.

Jaishankar downplayed concerns about foreign policy shortcomings but conceded the competitive reality. He pointed out that China’s geographical proximity naturally grants it influence over neighbouring countries like the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Screengrab from Facebook of online movements advocating boycott of Indian products© Provided by Al Jazeera

State Minister of Information and Broadcasting and lawmaker from the ruling Awami League Mohammad A Arafat, too, dismissed the concerns saying Bangladesh had received global attention because of the unprecedented fact of a fourth term for the ruling government.

“If I have to talk about other country’s interest in our local politics, then the first name I would mention is the United States which even declared a Visa restriction policy based on Bangladesh election. On the other hand, India, from the very onset officially stated that Bangladesh’s election is its internal matter and it has no say in it,” Arafat said.

Obaidul Quader, general secretary of Awami League told Al Jazeera that the “India out” campaign is run by opposition parties who instead of taking part in the election blaming “India for their misfortune.”

“They [the opposition parties] have this trump card of bashing India if anything goes against them,” said Quader, “I don’t think common people of Bangladesh support this campaign. They know that Awami League will never work against the interest of people.”

The burgeoning anti-India campaign, meanwhile, is finding traction within Bangladesh’s domestic political landscape, raising concerns about potentially destabilising Bangladesh’s economy and impacting regional relations.

Gono Odhikar Parishad, a rising political force aligned with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led opposition, is promoting the boycott movement. Party leader Nurul Haque Nur declared at a recent rally in Dhaka that “We all have to start an ‘India Out’ campaign'” while alleging Indian interference in the recent elections.


Rumeen Farhana, international affairs secretary of the BNP, told Al Jazeera that the people of Bangladesh never liked India’s interference in Bangladesh politics. “It’s now crystal clear that India did everything possible to keep the regime in power since 2014,” she alleged.

Resentment against India reached a boiling point in Bangladesh after Hasina’s Awami League secured a resounding victory in the January 7 elections, capturing 223 seats out of 300 in parliament. Critics alleged the process lacked legitimacy due to the opposition’s boycott and the presence of numerous Awami League-backed independent candidates, raising questions about the fairness of the vote.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered swift congratulations to both Hasina and “the people of Bangladesh for the successful conduct of elections”, endorsing the outcome. In contrast, Western governments expressed reservations, highlighting the boycott and the lack of a strong opposition presence.

Facebook Screengrab of calls for a boycott of Indian products in favour of Bangladeshi products© Provided by Al Jazeera

Farhana said anti-India public sentiment in Bangladesh goes beyond politics. “The border killing, unresolved water sharing of 53 rivers including Teesta, trade deficit all play roles to that,” she said.

Around 1,276 Bangladeshis have been killed and 1,183 injured by India’s border forces since 2010, according to human rights organisation Odhikar. Then there are the decades-old unresolved water-sharing agreements for 53 transboundary rivers in addition to Bangladesh’s massive trade deficit with India, all of which have raised concerns about Bangladesh’s sovereignty and economic independence.

Ali Riaz, distinguished professor of politics and government at Illinois State University, told Al Jazeera that India’s unqualified support of the Awami League and Hasina during the 2024 elections has raised questions among many citizens about “whether it has compromised the country’s sovereignty”.

However, Sreeradha Datta, a professor at the Jindal School of International Affairs in Sonepat, India, refuted the claims of India’s “unqualified support” and said the Awami League was “creative in going past the polls even if India [had] not agree[d] to recognise the election”.

“China and so many others congratulated PM Hasina right after the election, so would that make any difference if India didn’t support it?” she asked.

The economic fallout​

Analysts, meanwhile, pointed out that boycotting Indian goods could have major repercussions for the economic relationship between the two countries.

India is a major exporter to Bangladesh with annual trade historically exceeding $12bn. Additionally, Bangladesh relies heavily on India for essential commodities, and the two governments are currently in talks on an annual quota of imports of Indian farm products.

Calling the anti-India campaign a “political stunt”, Munshi Faiz Ahmed, former chairman of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies, a state-funded think tank, told Al Jazeera that the economic fallout of boycotting Indian products will be more severe for Bangladesh.

“I don’t think any rational Bangladeshi would opt for taking part in this campaign. India is our neighbouring country, and we are heavily dependent on them for our everyday essentials like rice and onions. We are dependent because we get those products at the cheapest prices because of geographical proximity,” Ahmed said, adding that sourcing those products from somewhere else would cost much more.

Jyoti Rahman, an Australia-based economist told Al Jazeera that the “India Out” movement may be politically important to the extent that “it sends a strong message to the Indian policymakers” about growing discontent in Bangladesh but the “economic effects are less clear cut”.

Rahman pointed out that despite being India’s fourth largest export destination, Bangladesh still comprises about 3.5 percent of the Indian export market. “Even if all exports to Bangladesh stopped, it probably wouldn’t significantly affect the Indian economy as these products would find a market elsewhere,” Rahman said.

On the other hand, he said, a fifth of Bangladeshi imports are from India, including essentials such as cotton for the garment manufacturing sector, cereals and produce such as onions. “[Looking at] other sources of imports for these products could stoke inflation further,” Rahman said.

However, he highlighted the potential political effectiveness of boycotting non-essential items like tourism, cultural imports like Bollywood movies and consumer products, which he said could benefit domestic industries.

The overwhelming dependence of Bangladesh on India also means that “Indian businesses are vulnerable if such a movement gains traction and support”, Riaz said.

Even if the economic impacts are limited or not immediate, the boycotts will contribute to the public discourse on the role of India in Bangladeshi politics and highlight the unequal relationship, he said. “This is no less important.”

Additional reporting by Abu Jakir

 

[Bilal9]

In Bangladesh, an “India Out” campaign has suddenly emerged on social media, accusing India of interfering in Bangladeshi politics. Users running this campaign, are urging Bangladeshi citizens to boycott Indian products. Moreover, three hashtags are employed for this campaign which include: #Indiaout #BoycottIndia #BoycottIndianproducts.

However, the trend of boycotts on social media does not appear natural. A closer examination of this trend reveals that the group that began this campaign has always been engaged in anti-India activities in Bangladesh. Several users among them, are either indirectly associated with the political parties of Bangladesh (mainly BNP), or claim to be their supporters. In this DFRAC report, we have conducted a detailed analysis of all such aspects.

Beginning of ‘India Out’ Campaign

A Bangladeshi journalist Zulkarnain Saer stated in a Facebook post that “India Out” gained traction after exiled Bangladeshi social activist Pinaki Bhattacharya began posting on it. He wrote: “The “India Out” campaign has gained more popularity than experts had anticipated. Pinaki Bhattacharya – a Bangladeshi social activist in exile who is also a medical specialist by profession, called for the boycott of Indian goods following the highly contentious and one-sided elections in Bangladesh”.
As per Al Jazeera’s media report, Exiled Bangladeshi physician Pinaki Bhattacharya, who fled alleged government harassment in 2018, has emerged as the key figure in this burgeoning social media movement accusing India of interfering in Bangladesh’s recent elections to keep Hasina in power.

Who is Pinaki Bhattacharya?​

Pinaki Bhattacharya describes himself as a blogger and social worker. During his youth, he was involved in the leftist student movement. He became a prominent online figure with 19 books on Bangladesh’s political history, society and human rights. He has more than 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and 5 lakh 45k followers on Facebook. Furthermore, he sustains 52.4k followers on X(Twitter).

Cases Against Bhattacharya​

Pinaki Bhattacharya has been booked under the Digital Security Act (DSA) by Bangladesh’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC). He was accused of disseminating False rumours and misinformation.

Allegations associated with counterfeit medicine​

According to a media report by In Depth News, Pinaki Bhattacharya, fled Bangladesh when authorities pressed charges of producing counterfeit medicine and amphetamine inside his pharmaceutical factory.

Accusations of working for ISI​

Weeklyblitz has published a media report citing reliable sources about Pinaki’s alleged links with the Pakistani Intelligence Agency (ISI). The report stated: “According to credible sources, years ago, Pinaki, a diehard anti- India individual was hired by Pakistani spy agency Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) for running propaganda against India and promoting anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. In addition to his nefarious propaganda against Bangladesh, Pinaki has been categorically active in running propaganda offensives against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Other targets of Pinaki Bhattacharya are the United States, Israel, Britain, European Union and secularist forces, Pinaki has also been supportive to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as well as other parts of India”.

Bhattacharya’s #BoycottIndianProducts Campaign​

Pinaki wrote: “I said that women should lead this boycott movement. Women have come forward in leadership. We will move forward with the strength of maternal power. Just see how it works. Where did our fight go? It’s invincible.


Pinaki Bhattacharya has created numerous videos on YouTube along with the title of boycotting Indian products. He uploaded his first video on YouTube on January 17, 2024. In the description provided with this video, he wrote – “India is becoming stronger due to our purchasing power. He has become financially strong and is taking away our rights. Today we have announced the boycott of Indian products. Come, let us boycott Indian products until Star Box is released in three months. No procession, no meeting, no blood donation, no fighting, no jail. Just a peaceful boycott. Don’t go to India. Go to Bangkok-Singapore for treatment, not India. When you go to India, we will make such arrangements that the hatred of the public does not fall on you.”
Pinaki has created 10 videos on YouTube concerning the boycott of Indian products, which can be seen in the collage provided below.


Followed by the call for the boycott of India and Indian products on YouTube on January 17, Pinaki has been found consistently sharing posts on Facebook and the X platform. Subsequently, he went viral on social media in Bangladesh when he employed the hashtag Boycotting Indian Products on January 18.

Viewership of #Boycott IndianProducts on Pinaki’s channel​

Upon investigating Pinaki’s YouTube channel, it was observed that he has published 7 videos featuring the hashtag #Boycott IndianProducts. All these videos are viewed by the audience on a large scale. Not only this, but it was also discovered that a video on this issue was viewed by more than 1.3 million viewers.

Social Media Handles running #India Out​

Numerous Bangladeshi users have shared the post with the #IndiaOut hashtag. However, there is an account named Revolt (@revolt_71), which frequently tweets on #BoycottIndia, #IndiaOut and #BoycottIndianProducts. On examining this account, it was revealed that it had tweeted several times before using hashtags like #BoycottIndia and #IndiaOut. Notably, when Pinaki Bhattacharya began #BoycottIndianProducts, a user named Revolt also started posting consistently.

Read the rest from source.....

It is clear that Hasina's people are going after Pinaki single-mindedly.

 

[Old School]

It is clear that Hasina's people are going after Pinaki single-mindedly.

Other people say that Pinaki has Indian connections and an Indian passport. That he is distracting the anti-Hasina movement, which has stalled now. He says nothing about boycotting huge Indian hardware like Tata automobiles, Adani energy, and other major Industrial imports, as well as thousands of high-paying jobs held by Indian workers. Boycotting a few Indian packaged consumer goods means nothing when Bangladesh becomes 4th largest remittance source for India :
Bangladesh becomes 4th largestremittance source for India – The Daily Industry

 

[Vikings]

Other people say that Pinaki has Indian connections and an Indian passport. That he is distracting the anti-Hasina movement, which has stalled now. He says nothing about boycotting huge Indian hardware like Tata automobiles, Adani energy, and other major Industrial imports, as well as thousands of high-paying jobs held by Indian workers. Boycotting a few Indian packaged consumer goods means nothing when Bangladesh becomes 4th largest remittance source for India :
Bangladesh becomes 4th largestremittance source for India – The Daily Industry

Which side is correct? Could you please elaborate? It's a dilemma for people I think! It looks what we see with bare eyes and believe to be true , all proved false in the end!

 

[Old School]

Which side is correct? Could you please elaborate?

I have access to a massive file, including graphic materials about Pinaki Bhattacharya. To start with, he never converted to Islam but married a local JI leader's daughter, who is a doctor. It is not exceptionally standard for a JI leader to marry his daughter to a Non-muslim without conversion. He openly took part in Shahbagh ( 2013) to demand the hanging of friends of Pakistan in 1971.
A majority of his family members are Indian citizens. Suddenly, he took a U-Turn and started selling his books to Madrasa students, who make up the majority of his followers on Facebook, except the rest are fake Facebook IDs. His books are allegedly written by ghostwriters while taking the credit himself. There are a lot of disturbing items about Pinaki Bhattacharya that I can not publicly share here. All I can say is that his actions always benefit Hasina's establishment and, of course, India.

 

[Vikings]

To start with, he never converted to Islam but married a local JI leader's daughter, who is a doctor. He openly took part in Shahbagh ( 2013) to demand the hanging of friends of Pakistan in 1971.

Well @Old School bhai, I never believed that Pinaki converted to Islam, as I always thought that it's a propaganda of his haters who used defame him! However I was never interested to his personal life , so never knew who his wife is!

However I also don't consider jamatis to be Pakistan friendly too! As they were against partition in 1947! So according to the logic jamat can be said friend of both India, pakistan and now even friend of Bangladesh, if they are really pro establishment!

About shahbagh issue , Pinaky already explained that he is doing the kaffara of his Shahbagh activities; however I wasn't interested with it either!

But yes it's unusual for any jamat leader marry his daughter with a Hindu man!

His books are allegedly written by ghostwriters while taking the credit himself.

Yes that could be true! However do you remember one of his earlier writing named , 'Asif Mohiuddin : the trajan horse of blogs?" It looks like he was trying to expose many pseudo secular bloggers of Bangladesh who were anti Bangladesh and Islam hater , and their intentional activities was only benefitted the opposition of BAL!

Hence I thought that Pinaky could be a soft power of Hasina regime; and as reward he got his asylum in France!

However never shared my thoughts openly as none will believe it! However still I admire his sharp logics!

He says nothing about boycotting huge Indian hardware like Tata automobiles, Adani energy, and other major Industrial imports, as well as thousands of high-paying jobs held by Indian workers. Boycotting a few Indian packaged consumer goods means nothing when Bangladesh becomes 4th largest remittance source for India :

Finally again quoting from your previous post! Tbh I've completely ignored this fact! Yes this is ferfect point!

On the other hand he is trying to prevent people visiting India for medical tourism , which I didn't find amusing!

He is suggesting people to go to Singapore or Thailand, which looks like inhumane and practical joke for me! I was truly upset for this absurd suggestion!

Medical service of India is still far better than Bangladesh; don't know how it's in Pakistan!

Whatever maybe the case most Bangladeshi people are poor , and they can't afford a flight to travel Singapore, or Thailand!

Although treatment of Bangladeshi hospitals improved dramatically during Hasina regime ( truth to be told) , still people like to visit India for better treatment with affordable cost, as private medical care in extremely costly and flawed in Bangladesh; yes maybe few high level hospitals provide good quality treatment, but it's expense is beyond the reach of common people!

So instead of suggesting people to stop going to India for treatment, he should have call for boycotting things that you have mentioned!

All I can say is that his actions always benefit Hasina's establishment and, of course, India.

Well I hear that Hasina is actually not pro India contrary to popular belief! Although these analysts ( like gautam das who used to write in naya diganta) pointed out after 7 January selection ( it's not election by any standard) pointed out that in this selection Hasina was selected without Indian help , so it's actually good for her now she no longer needs Indian support to stay in power!

If this is true, that's indeed a good thing!

Bangladeshi people should try to learn how to change their fixed mindset and have to look at broader picture!

Hasina = India's lapdog , and BNP is harbinger of new dawn is a BS idea of BNP supporters!

On the other hand, I don't think pan Islamist jamatis should be trusted for their controversial role from the beginning!

However do you hear the leaked audio of candidate of meherpur 1 before 7 January selection?

Professor mannan was threatening a doctor named Alok kumar das by claiming himself as Indian candidate ; he thought that Hasina will be happy!

But this audio clip actually the real reason of his downfall against Forhad hussein ( Minister of public administration) , otherwise there was a fat chance that mannan would win.

 

[Old School]

Well @Old School bhai, I never believed that Pinaki converted to Islam, as I always thought that it's a propaganda of his haters who used defame him! However I was never interested to his personal life , so never knew who his wife is!

However I also don't consider jamatis to be Pakistan friendly too! As they were against partition in 1947! So jamat can be said friend of India, and now even friend of Bangladesh, if they are really pro establishment!

About shahbagh issue , Pinaky already explained that he is not doing the kaffara of his Shahbagh activities; however I wasn't interested with it either!

But yes it's unusual for any jamat leader marry his daughter with a Hindu man!







Yes that could be true! However do you remember one of his earlier writing named , 'Asif Mohiuddin : the trajan horse of blogs?" It looks like he was trying to expose many pseudo secular bloggers of Bangladesh who were anti Bangladesh and Islam hater , and their intentional activities was only benefitted the opposition of BAL!

Hence I thought that Pinaky could be a soft power of Hasina regime; and as reward he got his asylum in France!

However never shared my thoughts openly as none will believe buy it! However still I admire his sharp logics!





Finally again quoting from your previous post! Tbh I've completely ignored this fact! Yes this is ferfect point!

On the other hand he is trying to prevent people visiting India for medical tourism , which I didn't find amusing!

He is suggesting people to go to Singapore or Thailand, which looks like inhumane and practical joke for me! I was truly upset for this absurd suggestion!

Medical service of India is still far better than Bangladesh; don't know how it's in Pakistan!

Whatever maybe the case most Bangladeshi people are poor , and they can't afford a flight to travel Singapore, or Thailand!

Although treatment of Bangladeshi hospitals improved dramatically during Hasina regime ( truth to be told) , still people like to visit India for better treatment with affordable cost, as private medical care in extremely costly and flawed in Bangladesh; yes maybe few high level hospitals provide good quality treatment, but it's expense is beyond the reach of common people!

So instead of suggesting people to stop going to India for treatment, he should have call for boycotting things that you have mentioned!




Well I hear that Hasina is actually not pro India contrary to popular belief! Although these analysts ( like gautam das who used to write in naya diganta) pointed out after 7 January selection ( it's not election by any standard) pointed out that in this selection Hasina was selected without Indian help , so it's actually good for her now she no longer need Indian support to stay in power!

If this is true, that's indeed a good thing!

Bangladeshi people should try to learn how to change their fixed mindset and have to look at broader picture!

Hasina = India's lapdog , and BNP is harbinger of new dawn is a BS idea of BNP supporters!

On the other hand, I don't think pan Islamic jamatis shouldn't be trusted for their controversial role from the beginning!

However do you hear the leaked audio of candidate of meherpur 1 before 7 January selection?

Professor mannan was threatening a doctor named Alok kumar das by claiming himself as Indian candidate ; he thought that Hasina will be happy!

But this audio clip actually the real reason of his downfall against Forhad hussein ( Minister of public administration) , otherwise there was a fat chance that mannan would win.

If Hasina is not pro-Indian, why is Pinaki asking for an Indian goods boycott instead of calling for more anti-government protests? Sheikh Hasina retained power with a fake election on January 7, 2024. Has this fake election issue been overshadowed in the talk of Pinaki's product boycott? Interestingly, it was synchronized with the problem of Indian interference in elections in some countries. An essential aspect of this activity is that the Awami League will be able to recognize who they are playing with. It is the most important thing. The policymakers of BNP and Jamaat mustn't associate with Pinaki in any form.

 

[Bilal9]

Other people say that Pinaki has Indian connections and an Indian passport. That he is distracting the anti-Hasina movement, which has stalled now. He says nothing about boycotting huge Indian hardware like Tata automobiles, Adani energy, and other major Industrial imports, as well as thousands of high-paying jobs held by Indian workers. Boycotting a few Indian packaged consumer goods means nothing when Bangladesh becomes 4th largest remittance source for India :
Bangladesh becomes 4th largestremittance source for India – The Daily Industry

Who knows what the truth is - but I believe Pinaki is not the only piece that is driving this "India Out" movement, and which also includes driving Indian illegal workers (including CEO's and CFO's) out of Bangladesh. It also calls for cancelling large infra contracts with Indian companies like RITES (Govt.) and L&T (Private Co.).

Interesting development for sure - I think BNP is going to benefit from the movement, though I fail to see how they'd drive it against the ire of the Indian Govt.

One thing to remember is - you can't choose your neighbors. The opposition political parties are just trying to force India to come to the negotiating table I guess - and stop supporting Hasina unilaterally, like they are doing at present.

 

[Old School]

Who knows what the truth is - but I believe Pinaki is not the only piece that is driving this "India Out" movement, and which also includes driving Indian illegal workers (including CEO's and CFO's) out of Bangladesh. It also calls for cancelling large infra contracts with Indian companies like RITES (Govt.) and L&T (Private Co.).

Interesting development for sure - I think BNP is going to benefit from the movement, though I fail to see how they'd drive it against the ire of the Indian Govt.

One thing to remember is - you can't choose your neighbors. The opposition political parties are just trying to force India to come to the negotiating table I guess - and stop supporting Hasina unilaterally, like they are doing at present.

Where did PInaki call for the Expulsion of Indian Workers ? The majority of his known family members have dual Indo-Bangla nationality. Well, The BNP leadership didn't publicly endorse this consumer product boycott. Some online 'influencers are doing it, and none are members of BNP/Jamaat. Though one can second guess the true motivation behind the relationship between India and the BNP-led opposition party, only an 'insider' can tell the actual dynamics. It is also true that news media reports never truly reflect the actual line of politics and that is even more true in the sub-continent. Another question is communicating directly with BD "influencers" and political leadership to get a close and accurate picture. There are people who get paid to find out what the truth is- for them it is interesting.

 

[Bilal9]

Where did PInaki call for the Expulsion of Indian Workers ?

In several of his videos, he has. @Vikings bhai can probably vouch for this as well. We can go back and dig these up I guess.

The BNP leadership didn't publicly endorse this consumer product boycott.

Well - they cannot publicly support it. They are a political party after all. But they have spoken about it.

Goyeshwar Roy, a Hindu BNP stalwart has indirectly spoken about it in a video I saw, as have some other BNP top level people, about the Boycott India and India-out movements.

If you watch news videos - you get to see them here and there.

 

[Old School]

In several of his videos, he has. @Vikings bhai can probably vouch for this as well. We can go back and dig these up I guess.


Well - they cannot publicly support it. They are a political party after all. But they have spoken about it.

Goyeshwar Roy, a Hindu BNP stalwart has indirectly spoken about it in a video I saw, as have some other BNP top level people, about the Boycott India and India-out movements.

If you watch news videos - you get to see them here and there.

Why not invite the "PInaki Fan Club" to this forum? I am sure it will bring in a lot of members in the Bengali section.

 

[Bilal9]

Why not invite the "PInaki Fan Club" to this forum? I am sure it will bring in a lot of members in the Bengali section.

Great idea. Let me see what I can do. Though - sitting in the US, I'm limited to sending emails and contacting people on social media.

 

[Vikings]

In several of his videos, he has. @Vikings bhai can probably vouch for this as well. We can go back and dig these up I guess.

Yes, I heard his few videos where he mentioned Indian workers are working in Bangladesh! But bhai , tbh I can't remember clearly if he asked to expell the Indian workers!

If you remember correctly, then surely he did!

 

[Vikings]

Why not invite the "PInaki Fan Club" to this forum? I am sure it will bring in a lot of members in the Bengali section.

For this I think @Bilal9 bhai should post the link in his YouTube video link constantly!

Also you can post the forum link on a YouTube channel named , "Open the eyes, hosted by Masum Mahbub."

He regularly broadcast news about imran Khan and give hopes to Bangladeshi people considering imran Khan as new Islamic leader, and some Bangladeshi people devour it!

However these people are surely anti India and anti BAL! However I'm afraid that if these people come here, GoB will again block access to this forum like old PDF, as these people will start spewing poison against Shekikh family, and in the end others might end up in trouble!

However if you can keep them in control as Bangladeshi moderator, I think they no longer can create mess!

What's your take on it @Old School bhai ? Please share your opinion!

 

[Old School]

For this I think @Bilal9 bhai should post the link in his YouTube video link constantly!


What's your take on it @Old School bhai ? Please share your opinion!

Well, this forum is NOT a platform to spread fake news and "post-truth" narratives. Neither will we let someone use this forum to promote their YouTube clicks with fake news and "post-truth" narratives. Bangladesh is a brotherly country. The government of Pakistan has no issue with the government of Bangladesh, and we will not let someone poison this bilateral relationship either. Other than this, everyone is welcome to contribute constructively, which aligns with this forum's principles.

 

[Vikings]

Well, this forum is NOT a platform to spread fake news and "post-truth" narratives. Neither will we let someone use this forum to promote their YouTube clicks with fake news and "post-truth" narratives. Bangladesh is a brotherly country. The government of Pakistan has no issue with the government of Bangladesh, and we will not let someone poison this bilateral relationship either. Other than this, everyone is welcome to contribute constructively, which aligns with this forum's principles.

That's great! If people come and discuss constructively, then I don't think GoB will target this forum or it's Bangladeshi users!

Thank you for assuring our safety!

 

[Bilal9]

Yes, I heard his few videos where he mentioned Indian workers are working in Bangladesh! But bhai , tbh I can't remember clearly if he asked to expell the Indian workers!

If you remember correctly, then surely he did!

Well here it is, I don't know if @Old School bhai can understand Bengali, but this is more or less clear.

Here - Pinaki is talking about the fact that Indian illegal workers are siphoning the majority of the Bangladeshi remittance economy.

Granted - he is talking only about illegal Indian workers. I am sure no illegal foreign workers would be allowed to work in India either and they are quite strict about it, given current political atmosphere there.

But generally Pinaki (and other Bangladeshi vloggers) never admonished HATE about Indian people in general and he overtly calls that out.

"India-out" is simply a reactionary movement to resist one-sided Indian trade and illegal Indian workers abusing visa facilities in Bangladesh, and also overt Indian control of Bangladesh politics.

This is the gist of the video in English,

What can be decided about the 10-15 lakh Indian workers who are currently working illegally in various factories in Bangladesh? A very important question is in this call. In this case, all of you are aware that India is taking billions of dollars to India by sending a large number of Indian workers to work from Bangladesh, this should be stopped.

How much is this? Five billion dollars a month. Touhid Hossain Sahib has said in Deutsche Welle. Also, in a daily about six years ago, Awami Laspencer Navnita is saying that remittances to Bangladesh are 13 billion and Indians take 10 billion.

Hasina pays them with the help you send to them. Don't see what Hasina said to send support through the bank in a legal way? So that support can be given to India as a support of your earnings. It means that the money goes to Hasina's bank first Then the dollar, euro, yuan, riyal is put in all Hasina's friends' hands.

 

[Old School]

Well here it is, I don't know if @Old School bhai can understand Bengali, but this is more or less clear.

I was posted in Bangladesh as per the "Pak government assignments," in fact, twice. The reason is that I speak many languages, including some South Asian languages, including Bengali. I also speak fluent German, Dutch, and French; my Chinese Mandarin is better than basic. I am focused on Russian now.
I previously told you in another post that I maintain good contact with BD officials and have my Pak colleagues based in Dacca. I am familiar with what you just posted. However, my main point was about much more profound aspects of this Pinaki, which you may not or may not want to know. That is okay. However, I will share info about BD here whenever I get conflicting/ contrasting information. Due to my professional background, I see things differently than many peace-loving civilians do.

 

[Bilal9]

I was posted in Bangladesh as per the "Pak government assignments," in fact, twice. The reason is that I speak many languages, including some South Asian languages, including Bengali. I also speak fluent German, Dutch, and French; my Chinese Mandarin is better than basic. I am focused on Russian now.
I previously told you in another post that I maintain good contact with BD officials and have my Pak colleagues based in Dacca. I am familiar with what you just posted. However, my main point was about much more profound aspects of this Pinaki, which you may not or may not want to know. That is okay. However, I will share info about BD here whenever I get conflicting/ contrasting information. Due to my professional background, I see things differently than many peace-loving civilians do.

Many Thanks for your comments Bhai. Glad to know your language expertise. My language expertise is limited to a smattering of Japanese and Korean and of course, Spanish (being that I live in LA). My Bengali is probably a lot better than my English, closer to Sanskrit expertise. I am trying to improve my Urdu via some family members, who are fluent in Lakhnavi Urdu.

As for Bangladeshi politics, none of us Bangladeshis are blind BNP or AL supporters - much less a believer of a person like Pinaki. People like him probably have alternate agendas, I am sure of it. Bangladesh is a place full of half-truths, you cannot believe anything at face value. Bangladeshis (myself included) have a healthy terminal distrust of leadership in my country.

In any case - Vlogs on YouTube are a single person's opinion and cannot be taken more seriously than females in my family take dramas. Too many stakes, too many players from too many places and moving pieces to boot.

I am glad my life is much simpler -reduced to enjoying simple things in life. Allah ka shukar.

 

[Old School]

I am glad my life is much simpler -reduced to enjoying simple things in life. Allah ka shukar.

Once upon a time, I wanted a simpler life, but that is no longer the case. Now, I love the complexities of human dynamics. After digging into the complexities for a long time, I have found simple things to be the most difficult to decode.

 

[Vikings]

@Old School bhai and @Bilal9 bhai, after 7 January selection, I not only doubt Pinaky , but also doubt all of those so called anti Hasina activists , including Elias Hussein, Taj hashmi , Saqib Ali and and few others (can't recall all names atm) are actually making fool of us! All are the pawns of this establishment IMHO!

However I've no issue with it , as long as we will be freed from Indian influence and can directly deal with China, I'm fine with the establishment!

Although supported restoration of democracy, but I don't want it at the cost of west seeing Bangladesh through Indian lens!

However if you carefully observed, you will find that this current establishment already got religious validation from mullahs, and this is the most important thing they needed in this pseudo secular country !


It's very easy to manipulate Bangladeshi people using Islamic tramp card!

BNP started the culture, and BAL successfully using it!