US denies involvement in ousting former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina: False, not true

Digital Desk: The White House on Monday dismissed allegations that the United States had any involvement in the recent political turmoil in Bangladesh, which resulted in the resignation and departure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from the country. Addressing the media, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre unequivocally denied any US interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh.

"We have had no involvement at all. Any reports or rumours that the United States government was involved in these events are simply false. That is not true," Jean-Pierre stated, refuting claims made in various media outlets. These claims, allegedly attributed to Sheikh Hasina, suggested that she could have remained in power if she had ceded sovereignty over Saint Martin's Island and allowed the United States greater influence over the Bay of Bengal.

However, the veracity of these claims was quickly challenged by Hasina's son, Sajeeb Wazed, who categorically denied that his mother ever made such a statement. In a post on X, Wazed wrote, "The recent resignation statement attributed to my mother published in a newspaper is completely false and fabricated. I have just confirmed with her that she did not make any statement either before or since leaving Dhaka."

Jean-Pierre further emphasized that the future of Bangladesh's government should be determined by its own people, reiterating the US stance on the importance of self-determination. "This [electing their leader] is a choice for and by the Bangladeshi people. We believe that the Bangladeshi people should determine the future of their government, and that's where we stand. Any allegations, certainly, we will continue to say, and I have said here, are simply not true," she added.

The comments from the White House come in the wake of significant political changes in Bangladesh. On Thursday, an interim government led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus was officially sworn in. The primary objective of this interim administration is to facilitate upcoming elections in the country, following a period of intense unrest and violent demonstrations.

The unrest was initially triggered by student protests against the quota system that reserved a large portion of government jobs for specific groups. However, these protests quickly evolved into a broader movement demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The resulting political upheaval has raised concerns both domestically and internationally about the stability of Bangladesh's government.

In response to these developments, Jean-Pierre affirmed that the United States would continue to closely monitor the situation in Bangladesh. She highlighted President Joe Biden's consistent stance on human rights issues, stating, "We are certainly going to continue monitoring the situation. I don’t have anything else to add beyond that. But, when it comes to any type of human rights issue, the president has been very consistent in speaking loud and clear in public and also privately, and he’ll continue to do that."

This statement came amidst growing protests in the United States against recent attacks on Hindus and other minority groups in Bangladesh. In recent days, Hindu-Americans across various US cities have organized peaceful rallies, drawing attention to alleged human rights violations against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh. During a protest march in Atlanta on Sunday, Congressman Shawn Still urged the US State Department to take decisive action to protect the rights and well-being of minority communities in Bangladesh.

As the situation in Bangladesh remains fluid, the international community, including the United States, will be closely watching how events unfold in the coming weeks and months.