Before resigning and fleeing Dhaka, Sheikh Hasina planned to address the nation. She wanted to speak to the protesters who forced her departure. Security officers advised her to leave immediately as the protesters reached her doorstep, preventing her from giving the speech.
Accusations Against the US and Saint Martin Island Sovereignty
Now in India, Sheikh Hasina shared the undelivered speech with close associates. In the speech, she accuses the US of attempting a regime change in Bangladesh. She claims she would have addressed this issue if given the chance.
She stated, “I resigned to avoid seeing the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to seize power over the corpses of students, but I did not allow it. I resigned from the premiership. I could have stayed in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to control the Bay of Bengal. I urge the people of my land not to be manipulated by radicals.”
Saint Martin Island, the southernmost point of Bangladesh, covers just 3 square kilometers in the northeastern Bay of Bengal.
Clarification on Controversial Remarks and US Relations
In her message to Awami League members, Sheikh Hasina expressed hope for the party’s recovery. She said, “Don’t lose hope. I will return soon. I may have lost, but the people of Bangladesh have won—the people for whom my father and my family sacrificed.”
Hasina resigned and fled amid violent student protests. The protests started over reservation policies and escalated into a confrontation with her government. Over 400 protesters died as she tried to suppress the unrest.
Hasina also clarified her “Razakar” remark. She had questioned if “the grandchildren of freedom fighters” should get quota benefits over “the grandchildren of Razakars,” referring to a paramilitary group from the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The comment intensified the protests. In her undelivered speech, she said, “I never called you Razakars. My words were distorted to incite you. I request you to watch the full video.”
US-Bangladesh relations deteriorated during Hasina’s tenure. Washington criticized the January elections, where the Awami League retained power, as neither free nor fair. Before her exit, Hasina alleged that “conspiracies” aimed to topple her government. She also claimed a “white man’s” plot aimed to create a new “Christian country” from Bangladesh and Myanmar. She suggested in May that allowing a foreign airbase in Bangladesh could have resolved her issues.
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