The United States has firmly denied any involvement in the resignation of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On August 5, Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled to India following massive protests in Dhaka demanding her removal. The unrest, which resulted in over 450 deaths, led to the formation of an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, Vedant Patel of the U.S. Department of State dismissed claims of American involvement as “laughable” and “absolutely false.” He emphasized that such allegations were baseless and noted the spread of disinformation about the situation in Bangladesh.
Patel stated, “We have seen 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.”
#WATCH | Bangladesh issue | Principal Deputy Spokesperson, US Department of State, Vedant Patel says, "…Any implication that the United States was involved in Sheikh Hasina's resignation is absolutely false. We have seen a lot of disinformation in recent weeks and we were made… pic.twitter.com/vA0xk8Vlo9
— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2024
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, had suggested that “foreign forces” were behind the protests. He asserted, “I believe, at this point, it is from beyond Bangladesh,” and suggested that only an intelligence agency could have provided weapons to the protesters.
In her first statement since fleeing to India, Sheikh Hasina called for accountability for those responsible for the violence that led to her ouster. She expressed condolences for the victims of the unrest, including students, teachers, police officers, journalists, and others affected by the violence.
Additionally, Hasina condemned the destruction of the museum dedicated to Bangladesh’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, calling it an insult to the nation’s history and the sacrifices of its martyrs. She urged for justice from her fellow countrymen.