Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was compelled to step down and flee her homeland amid widespread protests, has pointed an accusatory finger at the United States for playing a role in her removal from office.
In a statement reported by the Economic Times on Sunday, Hasina hinted that her continued hold on power could have been possible if she had conceded to US demands for a military base in Bangladesh.
“I resigned, so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it, I resigned from premiership,”
Hasina was quoted as saying.
The former prime minister suggested that a deal involving Bangladesh’s sovereignty was at the heart of the pressure she faced.
“I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech the people of my land, please do not be manipulated by radicals,”
she stated.
Hasina’s comments refer to the strategic coral reef island of Saint Martin, located in the northeastern Bay of Bengal. Allegations had surfaced in recent months from Bangladeshi officials that the United States had made repeated attempts to lease the island, but those proposals were turned down. Hasina revealed that US officials—whom she referred to as “white men”—had approached her before the previous election to seek her backing in establishing an airbase on the island.
Having served as the leader of Bangladesh for 15 years, the 76-year-old politician fled to neighboring India after her resignation on August 5. However, she vowed to return to Dhaka “soon… with the grace of almighty Allah.”
The backdrop to Hasina’s departure involved weeks of nationwide protests, spearheaded by students, against a government quota system perceived to benefit those with ties to the ruling party. Although the demonstrations initially began peacefully, they soon escalated into violent confrontations. Reports indicated that the unrest led to more than 400 deaths and around 11,000 arrests.
Following Hasina’s resignation, General Waker-uz-Zaman, the chief of army staff, took center stage by announcing the formation of an interim government. On August 8, Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate renowned for his work in microcredit and microfinance, was sworn in as the head of this interim administration.
