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.
Moreover, further investigation also disclosed that the username of @revolt_71 has been changed, earlier it was operating under the name FC MP (@sambayorker), posing as a football fan.
The account has particularly shifted its content away from football-related posts and focused on the hashtags #BoycottIndia and #IndiaOut, indicating a strategic shift in its messaging and engagement.
While inspecting the tweets of @Revolt_71, we found that this account has done substantial no. of tweets with the hashtags #IndiaOut, #BoycottIndia, #BoycottIndiaProducts. In which 61 tweets were done on #IndiaOut, 34 tweets on #BoycottIndia and 15 tweets on #BoycottIndiaProducts.
Timeline of the Hashtag
Here’s the graphic showcasing the timeline of the Hashtag “BoycottIndianProducts”. We observed the tweets from January 19 to February 13, 2024. Initially, the trend was on gradual rise, but accelerated from February 7 and at its peak on February 10, 2024 with more than 130 posts posted in a single day.
Users who amplified the Hashtag
On analysing data of #Boycott Indian Products hashtag for the period 19 January to 13 February 2024, we found that a slew of Bangladeshi accounts were involved in promoting the hashtag. It can be noticed here that @alsbddk75118 had done considerable no. of tweets on the hashtag. He has done around 50 tweets on this hashtag. Subsequently @Borno1405 made 27 tweets and @revolution_71 made 25 tweets.
Conclusion
A detailed examination of Bhattacharya’s social media and YouTube channel who initiated the trend of boycotting Indian products, has revealed that he has shared an anti-India stance. Apart from this, several cases are also registered against him along with many severe charges. Following the trend of boycotting by Pinaki, Users who have engaged in anti-India campaigns on social media on different occasions also joined this campaign. Some of them are associated with the opposition parties of Bangladesh suggesting that the trend of boycotting Indian products in Bangladesh is sponsored which is being carried out like a nexus.
