Dhaka
Bane of Bengal
After the resignation and exile of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, St Martin’s Island of Bangladesh has been in the spotlight.
Following the downfall and ensuing exile of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid, certain reports have emerged in Indian media alluding to foreign involvement in her ouster. Though still unfounded, these claims are linked to a speech attributed to Hasina and printed by several media outlets. Sheikh Hasina was allegedly planning to deliver this speech to the nation before hastily tendering resignation and fleeing to Agartala in India in a military helicopter.
Since her departure, the significance of this undelivered speech has increased considerably. Through this speech, Sheikh Hasina planned to reveal that the U.S. was pressuring her into handing over control of St. Martin’s Island to the Pentagon. Sheikh Hasina claims that had she caved into the American demand, she would still be in power. Hasina’s son Sajeeb denies the existence of such a speech. However, his mother’s previous public remarks regarding the tiny island are on record.
Sheikh Hasina has recently levelled several other accusations against the US, blaming the latter for orchestrating her political demise.
“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,” the former premier was reportedly prepared to say in her unreleased speech.
Her son, Sajeed, dismissed the Indian media report. However, he did blame ‘foreign elements’ for the fall of the Awami League government in August. Sajeed stated that student protests were initiated, executed, and controlled by forces outside of Bangladesh. He did not name a country or provide any evidence supporting his argument.
Washington’s alleged interest in St. Martin’s came to light in 2023 due to a rumour that the U.S. offered Hasina absolute support in the 2024 elections in exchange for the Island. Though the White House categorically denied the news, the strategic importance of St. Martin’s remains undeniable.
St. Martin’s Island is a small island in the Bay of Bengal. Situated to the south of Bangladesh, it is also close to Myanmar. The Bay of Bengal has recently gained immense significance owing to its geographical location, which is most suitable for monitoring Chinese activities in the Indian Ocean.
China is steadily increasing its investments in countries around the Bay of Bengal to establish a permanent presence in the Indo-Pacific. Beijing is also providing valuable assistance to Bangladesh in building a submarine base near Cox’s Bazar, only 9 kilometres from St. Martin’s Island. Similar investments in neighbouring Myanmar point towards China’s growing regional influence – a development least favoured by the US.
In this context, Hasina’s comment would make sense, but Washington has never—at least publicly—shown any intention of gaining access to the island.
On the other hand, Sheik Hasina never missed an opportunity to blame the US for trying to topple her government. Last year, she stated in parliament that the Americans can overthrow any government anywhere in the world. Whenever Sheikh Hasina sensed Washington’s disagreement over her policies or actions, she perceived it as a sign of a brewing plot to unseat her.
Washington’s alleged interest in St. Martin’s came to light in 2023 due to a rumour that the U.S. offered Hasina absolute support in the 2024 elections in exchange for the Island. Though the White House categorically denied the news, the strategic importance of St. Martin’s remains undeniable.
Hasina’s dispute with Washington began in 2021 when the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) following accusations of human rights abuses by the elite law enforcement unit. Hasina’s government did not receive this action well and strongly condemned the sanctions as unfair and meddling in Bangladesh’s domestic affairs.
In 2023, the State Department announced it wanted to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections in Bangladesh. It also threatened to impose visa restrictions on anyone undermining the democratic election process in the country. Hasina responded sharply, rejecting concerns about the election process and questioning the need and timing of the visa restrictions.
The highly controversial January elections again warranted an adverse statement from the US, casting doubts on the fairness of the entire electoral process. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had boycotted the elections, resulting in low voter turnout. The State Department also condemned political coercion and intimidation of opponents before and during the elections.
Recently, during widespread student protests, the hostility between Sheikh Hasina and the US became more apparent when the State Department condemned rampant state violence against peaceful demonstrators. Sheikh Hasina responded by accusing the US of yet another sinister plot.
Once forced out of power and into exile, Sheikh Hasina’s anti-American rhetoric took an ugly turn. St. Martin’s was taken out of the closet and thrown into the limelight to whip up nationalist sentiment and score political points. But it is now obvious that it is only a conspiracy theory hatched by the former premier to cover her own blunders.
Blaming external forces for internal political failures has long been a potent tool in political diplomacy. However, as the interim government in Dhaka grapples with mounting challenges, the priority must be to tackle genuine economic and governance issues that escalated student protests into a mass movement, ultimately leading to the fall of the Hasina government after more than a decade in power.
The writer is a freelancer and an investment banker based in Karachi. He can be reached at syedatifshamim@hotmail.com
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