At a news conference, US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel fiercely rejected the suggestion that the US had anything to do with Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, labelling the inference “laughable” and claiming that such assertions were wholly untrue.
The United States has refuted claims of involvement in the resignation of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, rejecting accusations that it played a part in her stepping down from office.
On August 5, Hasina resigned and fled to India following widespread protests demanding her government’s removal. The unrest, which lasted several weeks, resulted in over 450 casualties.
In response to the turmoil, an interim government was established, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus taking a prominent role. This interim administration aims to stabilise the country and facilitate a return to normalcy
In reaction to recent claims, the US Department of State has categorically denied having anything to do with Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
The charges were deemed “laughable” and “absolutely bogus” by State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel during a news briefing on August 13. Patel stressed that these claims belonged to a larger conspiracy of misinformation on what was happening in Bangladesh.
Patel calls out disinformation in Bangladesh
During a press briefing, Patel firmly dismissed the allegation, saying “We have come across a lot of disinformation in recent weeks and we were made incredibly committed to strengthening information and integrity across the regional ecosystem, especially our partners in South Asia.”
In a recent interview with ANI, Michael Kugelman, a US-based Foreign Policy expert and Director of the South Asia Institute at The Wilson Center, denied allegations of foreign interference in the mass uprising that resulted in Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, stating that he had not seen any ‘plausible evidence’ to back up these claims.
He pointed out that the Hasina government’s violent crackdown on demonstrators fueled the movement.
“My view has been very simple. I see this as a crisis that was driven by purely internal factors, by students who were unhappy about a particular issue, job quotas that they didn’t like and they were worried about the government. Sheikh Hasina’s government cracked down very hard on the students and that then turned the movement into something much bigger. And this was simply driven by internal factors,” Kugelman said.
Earlier this week, Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, stated that the rallies in Bangladesh were supported by “foreign forces”. This accusation has been met with vehement denials from numerous foreign powers, notably the United States, which has denied any role in the political unrest.
Sheikh Hasina demands punishment
In her first statement since her ouster, Sheikh Hasina has demanded accountability for those responsible for the riots. The statement, issued through her son Sajeeb Wazed, urged Bangladeshi citizens to observe National Mourning Day on August 15 “with due dignity and solemnity.” She called for prayers and floral tributes at Bangabandhu Bhaban.
“Since last July, many fresh lives have been lost due to vandalism, arson and violence in the name of agitation. Students, teachers, police, even internal women police, journalists, cultural workers, working people, Awami League and affiliated organization leaders, workers, pedestrians and workers in various institutions who have died as a victim of terrorist attack, I am condoling and praying for their souls,” the former Bangladesh prime minister said.
This statement follows the interim government’s decision to cancel the public holiday for National Mourning Day. The decision was made after Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus convened a meeting of the Council of Advisers on Tuesday.
Hasina also condemned the vandalization of the museum dedicated to Bangladesh’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She expressed deep sorrow over the disrespect shown to Rahman, whom she described as the “Father of the Nation,” and called for justice for the martyrs’.
“The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose leadership we have gained self-esteem as an independent nation, got self-identity and got an independent country, has been grossly insulted. They insulted the blood of millions of martyrs. I want justice from the countrymen,” Hasina said.
