Sheikh Hasina breaks silence, hints at US role behind her ouster

In a startling revelation, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has spoken out for the first time since her sudden resignation and departure to India, hinting at a possible role of the United States in her ouster. Hasina, who resigned on August 5 amid escalating student protests, stated, "I resigned to avoid witnessing further violence. They aimed to seize power over the dead bodies of students, but I prevented that by resigning."

Bangladesh is currently experiencing a political upheaval following Hasina's departure. The protests were primarily driven by students demanding an end to the controversial quota system in government jobs. Amid the growing unrest and fears for her safety, Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka on a military aircraft and is currently in a secure location in India.

An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been established to oversee the transition and prepare for early elections. This unexpected shift has left the nation in a state of uncertainty.

Hasina further claimed that her resignation was also influenced by pressures regarding Bangladesh’s sovereignty. "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," she asserted, suggesting that international forces were at play in the country’s internal politics.

In a warning to her people, she added, "I beseech the people of my land, ‘Please do not be manipulated by radicals.’"

Earlier in May, Hasina had hinted at a broader conspiracy aimed at partitioning parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar to create a Christian state akin to East Timor. She claimed that she had been offered an easy reelection if she allowed a foreign nation to establish an airbase in Bangladesh, though she did not name the country involved.