Key Highlights
- Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said after almost 15 months that she does not believe that America or Western powers had a direct role in the July uprising.
- She and her party had previously publicly blamed the United States.
- In an interview with CNN-News Eighteen, she spoke of a long-standing “good and stable relationship” with the United States.
- She outlined the context of the violence and the fall of the government caused by the quota reform movement.
- UN and BBC reports mention the number of deaths in the movement and the role of the security forces.
- The verdict in the ongoing crimes against humanity case against Sheikh Hasina will be announced on November 17.
- In an interview with the BBC, she claimed that all the allegations were politically motivated.
Ex Former prime minister and banned Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina has made a stark difference about the July-August uprising, nearly 15 months after her ouster. She said,
গত বছরের জুলাইয়ে গণ-অভ্যুত্থান ও সরকারের পতনের পেছনে আমেরিকা বা কোনো পশ্চিমা শক্তির সরাসরি ভূমিকা ছিল বলে তিনি মনে করেন না। এর আগে হাসিনা এবং তার মন্ত্রী ও দলীয় নেতাকর্মীরা যুক্তরাষ্ট্রকেই ঘটনার জন্য দোষারোপ করতেন।
Translation: She does not believe that America or any Western power had a direct role in the mass uprising and fall of the government in July last year. Previously, Hasina and her ministers and party leaders and activists blamed the United States for the incident.
‘The idea of direct involvement of Washington is not credible’ — Hasina to CNN-News Eight
In an interview with CNN-News Eight on Friday (November 14), Sheikh Hasina said,
যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সঙ্গে বাংলাদেশের দীর্ঘদিনের ‘ভালো ও স্থিতিশীল সম্পর্ক’ রয়েছে। তাই ‘ওয়াশিংটন বা অন্য কোনো বিদেশি শক্তি বাংলাদেশের রাজনৈতিক বিষয়ে সরাসরি জড়িত।’
Translation: Bangladesh has a long-standing ‘good and stable relationship’ with the United States. Therefore, ‘Washington or any other foreign power is directly involved in Bangladesh’s political affairs.’
However, she noted that,
বাংলাদেশের সাবেক প্রধান অর্থনীতিবিদ ড. মুহাম্মদ ইউনূস পশ্চিমা বিশ্বের প্রভাবশালী ব্যক্তিদের সঙ্গে সুসম্পর্ক তৈরি করেছেন, যা অনেকেই ভুলভাবে গণতান্ত্রিক যোগ্যতা হিসেবে দেখেছেন।
Translation: Bangladesh’s former chief economist, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has developed good relationships with influential figures in the Western world, which many have mistakenly seen as a democratic qualification.
Hasina also said that,
যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের প্রাক্তন প্রেসিডেন্ট ডোনাল্ড ট্রাম্পের সঙ্গে তার সম্পর্কও ভালো ছিল
Translation: she also had a good relationship with former US President Donald Trump.
Read more: “The Burnt House Will Become a Powerful Pilgrimage Site, and I Will Return to Dhanmondi Again”
Context of violence and fall of government from quota reform movement
In July last year, students started a peaceful movement demanding quota reform in government jobs. However, violence quickly spread due to attacks by Awami League student organizations and armed cadres. The situation turned into bloodshed on the streets and the movement intensified in the face of public anger.
In this situation, Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee the country when the movement demanding the fall of the government reached its peak.
More than 1,000 killed: Horrific picture in the report of international organizations
The report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said that more than 1,000 people were killed in the July-August mass uprising. Most of them lost their lives to military weapons and shotguns fired by the security forces.
Various investigative reports were published about Sheikh Hasina’s role at that time. The BBC’s investigative report quoted a leaked audio recording and said that she had authorized the security forces to use lethal force against the protesters.
Verdict in crimes against humanity case on November 17
In the wake of these incidents, a case is being filed against Sheikh Hasina at the International Crimes Tribunal. In the same case, death penalty has been demanded against three people, including her former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. The verdict will be announced on November 17.
‘The case is politically motivated’ – Hasina tells BBC
On the other hand, in an interview with the BBC, the ousted prime minister denied these anti-humanity allegations. She said,
মামলা রাজনৈতিক উদ্দেশ্যপ্রণোদিত এবং ‘ক্যাঙ্গারু কোর্টের সাজানো প্রহসন’। আন্দোলন দমনে পরিস্থিতি নিয়ন্ত্রণের বাইরে চলে গেলেও তিনি কখনো নিরস্ত্র বেসামরিক নাগরিকের ওপর গুলি চালানোর নির্দেশ দেননি।
Translation: The case is politically motivated and a ‘kangaroo court farce’. He never ordered the firing on unarmed civilians, even when the situation got out of control during the crackdown.
Sheikh Hasina has demanded that if any charges against her are to be proven, it should be done through a fair investigation free from political influence.
Source: Daily Ittefaq
