Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh has accused the US of being behind her removal from power because she refused to concede control of Saint Martin Island. This decision would have given the US influence over the Bay of Bengal, as reported by The Economic Times.
Sheikh Hasina, 76, claimed that she could have retained power by surrendering the sovereignty of the strategically located Saint Martin Island, also known as Narikel Zinzira. However, she refused to compromise its importance and the potential geopolitical influence it holds in the region.
Prior to her resignation after a 15-year rule, Hasina also alleged a plot was underway to create a Christian state similar to East Timor by carving out parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar. She stated that she was offered a hassle-free reelection if she allowed a foreign country to build an airbase on Bangladeshi territory.
Following her departure to India, Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman announced her resignation and the establishment of a transitional government. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the chief adviser to lead the transitional administration.