Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently addressed the public for the first time since her dramatic resignation on August 5. In her statement, Hasina suggested that the United States was involved in her ouster. She claimed that her resignation was a strategic move to prevent further violence and avoid a situation where her opponents would seize power “over the dead bodies of students.” She also accused the U.S. of pressuring her to surrender Saint Martin Island, which would have allowed American influence over the Bay of Bengal.
Hasina urged the people of Bangladesh not to be manipulated by radicals and criticized the distortion of her words to incite unrest. She clarified that she never referred to protesters as “Razakars” and urged citizens to view the full video of her statements to understand the context.
The political situation in Bangladesh has worsened since her resignation, with at least 205 attacks reported against Hindu communities across 52 districts. The unrest has led to significant violence and vandalism, including attacks on Hindu temples and businesses, as well as the killing of Hindu leaders associated with Hasina’s Awami League party. Amidst this turmoil, thousands of minority Hindus have staged protests, and students have been guarding Hindu temples and homes due to a near collapse of law enforcement.
Currently, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is leading an interim government tasked with managing the transition and preparing for early elections.
