Aug 8 (TOI) – Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently residing in India, has leveled accusations against the United States, alleging their involvement in her removal from power.
“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 the premiership. 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 to the people of my land, ‘Please do not be manipulated by radicals’,” Hasina said in a message, the Economic Times quoted her as saying.
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Saint Martin Island, a small landmass measuring only 3 square kilometers, is situated in the northeastern region of the Bay of Bengal, approximately 9 kilometers south of the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula’s tip, constituting the southernmost point of Bangladesh.
In her message, Hasina urged Bangladeshi citizens to resist manipulation by radical elements.
Hasina expressed her deep sorrow over the killings of leaders, harassment of workers, and acts of vandalism, stating, “My heart cries upon receiving news that many leaders have been killed, workers are being harassed and their homes are subjected to vandalism and arson…With the grace of almighty Allah, I will return soon. Awami League has stood up again and again. I shall forever pray for the future of Bangladesh, the nation which my great father strived for. The country for which my father and family gave their lives.”
Bangladesh is currently grappling with political unrest following Hasina’s resignation on August 5, which occurred amidst escalating student protests demanding the removal of the controversial quota system for government jobs. Concerns for Hasina’s safety intensified due to the widespread turmoil, prompting her departure from Dhaka last week on a military aircraft. She is currently seeking refuge at an undisclosed location in India, where she remains under protection.
Addressing the quota movement and student protests, Hasina clarified, “I would like to repeat to the young students of Bangladesh. I have never called you Razakars. Rather My words were distorted to incite you. I request you to watch the full video of that day. Conspirators have taken advantage of innocence and used you to destabilise the nation.”
Previously, Hasina had also accused the US of attempting to orchestrate a regime change in Bangladesh during a parliamentary session. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, suggested that the recent protests in Bangladesh were likely instigated by a foreign intelligence agency, although he refrained from explicitly naming the US.
He stated, “I now firmly believe this was instigated by a small group and most likely by a foreign intelligence agency. I strongly suspect the ISI. There was no reason for the protests to continue because the quotas were not mandated by our government and were restored by a court ruling. Our government had lifted the quotas in 2018 or so when the first quota protests happened.”
The United States government has consistently voiced criticism of Dhaka’s human rights record and electoral processes.
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