Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said that she 'will return soon', as per a news report published on Sunday (August 11). The former premier has alleged that the United States had an involvement in situation in Bangladesh prior to her resignation.
"My heart cries upon receiving news that many leaders have been killed, workers are being harassed and their homes are subjected to vandalism and arson…With the grace of almighty Allah, I will return soon. Awami League has stood up again and again. I shall forever pray for the future of Bangladesh, the nation which my great father strived for. The country for which my father and family gave their lives." said Hasina in her message, as quoted by The Economic Times.
“I resigned so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it, I resigned from the premiership. I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech to the people of my land, 'Please do not be manipulated by radicals',” she said.
Sheikh Hasina is currently at an undisclosed location in India. After her escape from Bangladesh on August 5, it was expected that she would apply for political asylum in the United Kingdom after a brief stop in India. However, by August 11 at least, Hasina was in India.
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Saint Martin Island, which she mentioned in her message is 3 square kilometre landmass in the Bay of Bengal. It is located 9 kilometres south of Cox's Bazar, Teknaf peninsula. Saint Martin Island is the southernmost point of Bangladesh.
'I have never called students Razakars,' Hasina claims
Addressing the quota movement and student protests, Hasina clarified, "I would like to repeat to the young students of Bangladesh. I have never called you Razakars. Rather My words were distorted to incite you. I request you to watch the full video of that day. Conspirators have taken advantage of innocence and used you to destabilise the nation," Hasina said in her message.
"I now firmly believe this was instigated by a small group and most likely by a foreign intelligence agency. I strongly suspect the ISI. There was no reason for the protests to continue because the quotas were not mandated by our government and were restored by a court ruling. Our government had lifted the quotas in 2018 or so when the first quota protests happened."
