‘American corn grown from pig manure?’ It is full of good things, but it is becoming a joke in Bangladesh, what is the real reason?

bangladesh These days, there is a strange debate going on regarding US Corn. People are making fun of this on social media. ‘Maize grown from pig manure has gone beyond being a joke and has taken the form of cultural and religious sensitivity. In fact, this dispute is not just about farming or fertilizer, but also a clash of western agricultural model versus local faith and identity. People are making taunts, memes and satire about this on social media.

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What is the root of the dispute?

Animal waste is used in large-scale industrial farming in America. Especially, pig manure is used as fertilizer. It is considered scientific and cost-efficient, but there is natural objection to it in religiously sensitive societies.

Why American corn became a joke in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country, where pig is considered impure. The concept of Halal-Haram is deeply embedded in both food and agriculture in the country. When American corn imports and its production methods were discussed, people started a campaign of sarcasm, memes and satire on social media. People believe not only in religion but also in politics behind this. According to analysts, this joke is also a sarcasm on American influence and Western dependence. In recent years, tensions in US-Bangladesh relations and the debate on self-reliance regarding food imports have fueled this entire narrative.

Is American corn really ‘impure’?

Agricultural experts believe that manure is used for organic nutrition in the soil. The crop itself does not fall into any religious category, but cultural perception is more influential than scientific logic. This is why this issue became not technical but emotional.

Clash of western vs local thinking

This controversy shows how different the cost-effective model of Western countries and the religious-cultural sensitivity of South Asian society are from each other. For America this is a normal agricultural process, but in Bangladesh it is being linked to identity and faith.

How did the controversy start?

The US Embassy in Dhaka recently posted that American Mecca is reaching Bangladesh. However, the post caused an uproar on social media as users took the strange and culturally sensitive term ‘pig manure’ seriously.

“American corn is arriving in Bangladesh this month. Known for its nutritional quality, corn serves as a key ingredient in many foods, including staples such as corn bread and breakfast cereals. Corn is also used to feed animals, helping ensure a reliable supply of meat, dairy and eggs,” the US Embassy in Dhaka wrote in its post.

Poor Bangladeshi became the scapegoat

One social media user tweeted, “To please Don (Trump), Bangladesh gets American corn (grown from pig manure), and Pakistan gets a chance to send ‘peacekeeping forces’ to Gaza.”

Another posted: “Uncle Sam is ruining Bangladesh. Now they will eat corn grown on pig manure.” A third said: “Now, Islamists will eat corn grown from pig feces. Have fun.” Another tweeted, “Poor Bangladeshis are becoming scapegoats for Trump’s malicious food and loan policies.” On the other hand, the US Embassy has not yet responded to this wave of criticism.

Bangladeshi did not forget MBM powder, it was banned

A few years ago, Bangladeshi authorities detected the presence of pig products in meat and bone powder (MBM), which was being imported for use as fish and animal feed. MBM is a powder made by drying and grinding the inedible parts of slaughtered animals. After this incident, Bangladesh banned the sale and import of MBM powder.

Why American maize in headlines in Bangladesh?

Corn cultivation in America requires a lot of fertilizer. In America, pig manure is often added to corn fields to increase its production. This year, there has been a bumper production of maize in America and it is focusing on exports to global markets like Bangladesh and India. There have been reports that due to excess production, American farmers have had to throw heaps of corn on the side of the highway.

Sales center in India was not allowed

In fact, trade deal talks have come to a halt due to India’s protest against America’s pressure to import maize and soybean. India has so far opposed large-scale market access for US corn, citing the need to protect the livelihoods of small farmers. According to Reuters, India may allow limited imports only for ethanol production.

Approval to purchase 2,20,000 metric tons of wheat also

However, later Bangladesh’s interim chief Muhammad Yunus wrote a letter to US President Donald Trump and promised to significantly increase US exports to Bangladesh, after which the tariff was revised to 20%. This included American wheat, corn and soybean. Recently, Bangladesh has approved the purchase of approximately 2,20,000 metric tons of American wheat under a government-to-government deal.

Although the US Embassy’s post on Mecca was well-intentioned, it appears to have exposed a cultural rift. There has been an uproar on social media since the post.