Just weeks before she accused the United States of trying to gain control over Bangladesh’s St. Martin Island, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina revealed that a foreign power, represented by a “white man,” had attempted to tempt her with an offer to build an airbase in Bangladesh. She suggested that accepting the offer might have eased her path to re-election in the 2024 general elections, which were marred by concerns from the US and other Western nations.
Hasina had warned that there were ongoing conspiracies aimed at destabilizing Bangladesh, including the creation of a new Christian state, potentially involving territories from both Bangladesh and Myanmar. She likened the situation to the creation of East Timor and suggested that the Bay of Bengal region was being targeted by foreign interests.
Speaking to Awami League members, Hasina asserted that she could have stayed in power if she had agreed to the foreign airbase proposal. She also expressed concerns about similar pressures facing other nations, implying a broader strategy at play by foreign powers.
Hasina also reflected on the long history of trade in the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean, warning that many countries were eyeing the region with ulterior motives. She hinted that these ongoing schemes might result in her facing the same fate as her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
