BNP leaders are now apparently divided over the issue of ties with foreign countries, particularly with the Western ones like the United States and close neighbour India.
The issue has come to the forefront, especially after BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has recently called for boycotting Indian goods in the country.

Throwing away his Indian shawl in front of the party’s central office at Nayapaltan in the capital on Wednesday, Rizvi said boycotting Indian products means boycotting the Awami League government.
“Our party leaders and activists won’t buy any Indian products. We won’t buy Indian items. We’ll use our homegrown goods. We won’t buy the products of those who don’t show respect to the people of Bangladesh,” he said.

Terming the decision to boycott Indian products logical, the BNP leader said at least 63 parties, including BNP, have expressed solidarity with the call as social media is abuzz with the ‘boycott India’ campaign.
Asked whether Rizvi’s call reflects the party’s decision, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan on Friday afternoon declined to make any comment. “It’s not a matter of discussion with you,” he told this correspondent.

Talking to the Daily Sun, BNP Vice-Chairman Mohammad Shahjahan said, “I don’t know whether our party has taken any decision to express solidarity with the anti-India campaign or taken any anti-India strategy.”

BNP insiders said after the 12th parliamentary elections, the party leaders are divided as a group thinks they should go for an anti-India campaign as the Awami League had been able to come to power again only with the support of the neighbouring country.

“Our party’s foreign policy should be clear now as India is again and again extending their support to the Awami League. If we directly join the campaign against Indian products, it’ll affect the interests of India,” a central leader of the BNP told the Daily Sun, wishing not to be named.

Talking to the Daily Sun, BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said, “I don’t know about our party’s stance on the anti-India campaign. But according to my point of view, if it’s possible, we should buy our own products instead of foreign ones. It’ll help boost our economy.”

On the other hand, a few other central leaders said they think the BNP should not get involved in the anti-India campaign in any way. Instead, it should try to develop a relationship after finding faults and gaps, and bury all previous bitter experiences of relationship with the neighbouring country.

“India is one of the largest and most powerful countries in the world. Our party’s high command should make a strategy regarding India very carefully. Capable leaders will have to be appointed to build a good relationship with India. BNP has to convince the Indian side to play a neutral role and not to interfere in our political issues,” another BNP central leader told the Daily Sun, requesting anonymity.

BNP sources said after the announcement of the ‘India boycott’ by Rizvi publicly, mixed reactions were created inside the party as a group of its central leaders have become seriously unhappy with him and some others are feeling embarrassed.

On the other hand, a large number of party leaders and activists are also confused about the party’s actual stance on India, the sources added.
The BNP Standing Committee will hold a meeting on Monday where the issues of the relationship with India and Rizvi’s anti-India campaign may be discussed and a decision is likely to be taken to this end, party sources said.

  Insiders said the BNP is reassessing its international affairs strategy after the national polls and intends to intensify efforts to enhance ties with various influential countries to garner support for their movement.

Talking to the Daily Sun, a number of BNP leaders said they did not receive the anticipated level of support from the Western nations to thwart the general election. Furthermore, they expressed dissatisfaction with the post-election response from these countries.

A few leaders said the party’s international strategy was flawed due to perceived weaknesses in its efforts to cultivate foreign relationships.
Asked about the effectiveness of their international strategy, BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan declined to comment.

BNP carried out a movement for over two months demanding the resignation of the government and holding the general election under a non-party government with the hope that the Western countries would put pressure on the government to stop the polls.

However, the party leaders and activists became frustrated as they did not get their expected response from them, while many countries have congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for forming a government for the fourth consecutive term.

 Several central and district-level BNP leaders said they believe the party’s diplomatic strategy was flawed and the party should not have solely relied on Western countries, particularly the US.
They argue that building a relationship with India should have also been a priority, but this was neglected by the party’s leadership.

Contrary to these criticisms, BNP Foreign Affairs Committee member Mir Helal defended the party’s strategy, claiming that they successfully highlighted the country’s human rights and democracy situation to the international community.