India-Bangladesh relations are very “strong”: MEA on BNP’s ‘IndiaBoycott’ campaign

Highlighting the concern about Bangladesh opposition party’s ‘BoycottIndia’ trend, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stressed that India and Bangladesh have a very strong and vibrant relationship.
While addressing a press briefing on Thursday, the MEA spokesperson said that both countries have a comprehensive partnership, spanning various sectors.
“I would like to say that India-Bangladesh relations are very strong,” Randhir Jaiswal said.
The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) recently started a trend called ‘#BoycottIndia’, referring to boycotting Indian products in Bangladesh.
MEA Spokesperson Jaiswal said on Thursday, “We have a very comprehensive partnership that spans across sectors, from economy to trade to investment,development, cooperation, connectivity, and people to people, You name any human endeavour; it is part and parcel of India and Bangladesh.”
“That is how vibrant this partnership is,and it will continue to be so,” he added.
Following this, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina criticised BNP’s decision to boycott Indian products and raised questions about the effectiveness of BNP’s stance when the party leaders’ wives wore Indian saris, Dhaka Tribune reported.
“When will BNP leaders burn their wives’ Indian saris in front of their party office? Only then will it be proven that they are truly committed to boycotting Indian products,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina also challenged BNP leaders, who were questioning why they have not taken action against Indian saris worn by their wives if they are truly against Indian products, reported Dhaka Tribune.
“I want to know how many Indian Saris their (BNP leaders) wives own? Why they are not burning their saris? All of you should ask them,” she added.
Sheikh Hasina further said that she knew some BNP leaders’ wives who were involved in selling Indian saris when their husbands were ministers.
The Bangladesh PM also raised questions about Indian masala products, according to Dhaka Tribune.
She asked the BNP leaders, “We are importing onion, ginger and masala from India. Can they cook food without these Indian products?” (ANI)