US Pressure Over St Martin’s Island Led to Hasina’s Exit, Claims Letter

• A letter allegedly from former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina suggests her ouster was due to US pressure over St Martin’s Island.
• The letter claims Hasina refused to cede control of the strategically important island in the Bay of Bengal to the US.
• The island is significant due to US interests in countering China’s influence in the Indian Ocean.
• Hasina’s letter echoes her long-standing stance against foreign intervention in Bangladesh’s sovereignty.
• US authorities have denied any intention of acquiring the island or intervening in Bangladesh’s internal matters.

Source: Times of India