‘Laughable’: US on accusations that it had hand in ousting of Hasina as Bangladesh PM

In an interview with The Indian Express on Tuesday, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy had said, “I firmly believe that a foreign intelligence agency was involved, especially because many of the demonstrators, starting from July 15, were armed with firearms. Firearms are very difficult to obtain in Bangladesh due to our successful control of militancy over the last 15 years. The only organisation capable of smuggling firearms into the country and supplying them to demonstrators would be a foreign intelligence agency.”

Earlier, a report on Sunday had cited Hasina as accusing the US of playing a role in ousting her because it wanted control over Bangladesh’s Saint Martin island in the Bay of Bengal. However, later, Wazed denied Hasina making any such a statement.

Hasina is currently stationed in India after fleeing the violence-torn country on August 5. Over 230 people have been killed in the country after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, adding up the death toll to 560 after the anti-quota agitation initially started in mid-July.