DHAKA, AUG 11: Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid has levelled serious allegations against the United States, claiming that her removal from office was part of a scheme related to Saint Martin Island.

In a statement conveyed through close associates, Hasina alleged that the US sought to influence Bangladesh’s political landscape by pressuring her to cede control over the strategically significant island.

Saint Martin Island, located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, is Bangladesh’s sole coral reef island and holds considerable importance both economically and strategically. Known locally as “Narikel Jinjira” or Coconut Island, it is approximately 9 kilometers south of the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula and 8 kilometers west of Myanmar’s northwest coast.

The island supports a local population of about 5,500 people, whose livelihoods depend on fishing, rice and coconut cultivation, and tourism.

Hasina’s claims are rooted in the island’s geopolitical significance. She asserted that the US aimed to establish an airbase on Saint Martin Island, which would have allowed it to exert greater influence over the Bay of Bengal. According to Hasina, her refusal to surrender the island’s sovereignty contributed to her political downfall.

The sovereignty of Saint Martin Island has been a contentious issue between Bangladesh and Myanmar. The dispute was partially resolved in 2012 by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), which confirmed the island’s status within Bangladesh’s territorial sea and exclusive economic zone.

However, tensions resurfaced in 2018 when Myanmar’s updated map incorrectly depicted the island as its own territory. Myanmar later corrected this error, reaffirming the island’s position as part of Bangladesh.

In her address, which was intended to be delivered to the nation before her resignation, Hasina expressed her belief that the US’s failure to secure an airbase on the island played a crucial role in her administration’s collapse.

She asserted that had she remained in power, the situation would have led to significant bloodshed, as the US allegedly sought to leverage the crisis for political gain.

Hasina further alleged that the US aimed to influence the student-led protests that eventually led to her resignation, claiming that the protests were part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region and create a new “Christian state” by merging parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The former Prime Minister has also addressed criticisms regarding her comments about the student protesters during the demonstrations.

She clarified that her remarks, which were construed as disparaging, were misinterpreted and that her intention was not to undermine the students but rather to address the broader political context of the unrest.

Hasina concluded her statement by urging the people of Bangladesh to remain hopeful and resilient, asserting that her resignation was a temporary setback and that the Awami League would emerge stronger from the crisis.