Fact Check: Misleading claim of Muslim-led boycott of Indian products in Bangladesh

Meanwhile, a video has gone viral, allegedly showing a Muslim man encouraging shopkeepers to stop selling Indian goods.

An X (formerly Twitter) user shared the video with the caption: “Bangladesh starts its unofficial campaign to 'boycott Indian products.' Muslim man asks shopkeepers to stop selling brands like Parachute oil, Dabur honey, and Ujala washing powder. 'Bikri korbe na.' He even mentions Adani to be boycotted. Indians must never forget that the biggest push for Pakistan came from Bengali Muslims.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. The video, part of Gana Adhikar Parishad's campaign, calls for a boycott of Indian products over alleged election interference.

A reverse image search traced the video back to a Facebook post from February 22, 2024. The caption, translated from Bangla, roughly reads: “Going to the shop and warning not to sell Indian products.”

This indicates that the video is not recent. It was posted by an account named Tamanna Ferdous Shikha.

Tamanna is a supporter of the Gana Adhikar Parishad (Gono Odhikar Parishad) party, as evidenced by several posts she shared on her profile. She has also participated in protests organized by the party

A keyword search revealed a report by ‘Prothom Alo’ titled “A section of the People's Rights Council called for a boycott of Indian products,” published on February 15, 2024.According to the report, Gana Adhikar Parishad distributed leaflets calling for a boycott of Indian products and demanded the resignation of the Sheik Hasina government. The distribution started in front of the National Press Club and continued in the Purana Paltan Mor and Baitul Mukarram areas.

Reportedly, after the January elections in Bangladesh, where Sheikh Hasina secured a fourth term as Prime Minister despite an opposition boycott, a widespread "India Out" campaign emerged. This movement, fueled by allegations of Indian interference in Bangladeshi politics, was intensified by the Bangladeshi diaspora and opposition groups, who advocated for a boycott of Indian products.

Coming back to the viral video, from Tamanna Ferdous Shikha’s personal account, we found that the man in the video is her partner, Mr. Muhammed Tariq Rahman, who is also a supporter of the Gono Odhikar Parishad party.

His profile features several videos and photos related to the campaign for boycotting Indian products. One video, posted with the caption roughly translated as “Promise not to buy Indian products,” shows Tariq campaigning against selling Indian goods.

On February 19, 2024, Tariq shared a post listing Indian products targeted for a boycott, with the caption: "After three days of work on alternatives to Indian products, Alhamdulillah, we have completed our new leaflet.”

The #BoycottIndia campaign has gained widespread support from opposition parties in Bangladesh. An Al Jazeera report from February 7, 2024, titled "‘India Out’ campaigns simmer in Bangladesh amid election fallout," confirms the broader political context of this movement.

The claim that Muslims in Bangladesh are collectively urging a boycott of Indian products is misleading. The viral video is part of a political campaign led by Gana Adhikar Parishad and does not have a communal angle.