Western plot against Sheikh Hasina? What she revealed in May

Many will see a US hand behind the coup as Hasina had troubled relations with the US for the past few years. Just two months ago, after she had returned to power, Hasina made shocking claims that a White country was hatching a conspiracy against her.

Months after winning elections and securing a fifth straight term for her government, Hasina claimed in May that she was offered a hassle-free re-election in the January 7 polls if she allowed a foreign country to build an air base inside the country. “If I allowed a certain country to build an air base in Bangladesh, then I would have had no problem,” Daily Star Bangladesh had quoted Hasina as saying.

She, however, did not name the country that had made the offer to her but emphasised that the “offer came from a White man”. “It may appear that it is aimed at only one country, but it is not. I know where else they intend to go,” she said, adding that this is why her Awami League party-led govt is always in trouble. “There will be more trouble. But don’t worry about it,” she said.

When asked about her response to the offer, the PM said she made the same reply as she did in 2001 when the US offered to sell the country’s gas to India. “I’ve clearly said that I’m the daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. . . we won our Liberation War, I don’t want to come to power by renting part of the country or handing it over to some other country and I don’t need power,” she said. The premier said she would only stay in office if the people wanted.