BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday accused India of using communalism as a pretext to establish dominance in the subcontinent by provoking hardline Hindu groups.

“You divided India by using communalism as a pretext, and now you are also destroying the democratic traditions India has maintained since its independence,” he said while addressing an event in the capital's Gulshan area, which called for a boycott of Indian products.

BNP's Rizvi calls for Indian product boycott

“By using communalism as a pretext, you are trying to establish dominance in the subcontinent by inciting radical Hindus,” the BNP leader added.

He observed that Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Pakistan are no longer aligned with India due to its hateful and malicious approach. “Bangladesh is also not with you. This is solely because of your arrogance and the exploitative attitude you continue to demonstrate,” Rizvi said.

He said Bangladesh is a self-sufficient nation, which achieved its independence through the sacrifice of three million lives and the loss of dignity of 200,000 women.

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“Can you suppress this country of 18-19 crore people by simply frowning your eyes and frightening us with false propaganda? What has happened to you that you have suddenly started desperately spreading propaganda against Bangladesh?” the BNP leader asked.

Before August 5, he said, a despised government under Sheikh Hasina was in power in Bangladesh, one that did not hesitate to kill children in the country to cling to power.

“They did not hesitate to make their own people, who love democracy, disappear forever. They used to kill people along the rivers and canals through crossfire. Why was that Hasina government so dear to you? Because, with your provocation, Sheikh Hasina did whatever she wanted in this country,” Rizvi added.

He mentioned that India may think the people of Bangladesh would face great problems if it stopped exporting onions, garlic, ginger, and soybean oil.
“Don’t forget, the people of Bangladesh are hardworking and they know how to produce onions, garlic, and ginger themselves. You think you are the only country in the world. Are there no other countries from which we can import onions, garlic, and oil?” Rizvi said.
He also reminded India that the people of Bangladesh had built cattle and goat farms in every village and slaughtered 1.20 crore cattle in a single Eid, following India’s cessation of cattle exports for five to six years.
The BNP leader said that shopkeepers at Kolkata’s New Market and other areas, along with hospitals there, are facing difficulties as India has stopped issuing visas to Bangladeshis.
“You have stopped issuing visas, thinking that the people of Bangladesh would become restless. The people of Bangladesh are happy. If necessary, they will go to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, or any other country. People do not want to go to a country like India, which harbours a hatred towards us,” he said.

The BNP leader also criticised Indian Republic Bangla TV for claiming that Chattogram was part of India, warning that Bangladesh would also claim ownership of areas such as Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, once ruled by Muslim Nawabs.