The former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, hinted that the US had a hand in her ouster and said that she had resigned to avoid further violence and human casualties, reported Hindustan Times on Sunday referring to The Economic Times.
She made the remark while speaking for the first time to Indian media since she resigned and fled to India from Bangladesh a week ago.
According to the report, Hasina told Economic Times, ‘I resigned to avoid witnessing further violence. They aimed to seize power over the dead bodies of students, but I prevented that by resigning.’
Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India amid a student-led uprising on August 5. She is currently in a secure location in India.
An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was sworn in to oversee the transition and prepare for early elections.
Hasina said had she stayed in the country, more deaths and destruction would have taken place.
‘I became your leader because you chose me; you were my strength,’ she added.
Addressing the student protesters, Hasina clarified that she never called protesting students ‘Razakars’.
‘My words were distorted to incite you. Watch the full video of that day to understand how conspirators have exploited your innocence to destabilise the nation,’ the Awami League leader said.
Hasina hints US' hand in her ouster. She claimed that she 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.
