American economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs has called for an independent UN investigation, citing circumstantial evidence of Washington’s involvement in the dramatic ousting of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid weeks of student-led protests.
Amid accusations of U.S. deep state operations against Sheikh Hasina’s government, an intense debate has emerged over the role of external forces in Bangladesh’s political turmoil.
“For a country worried about foreign interference in its elections, the US seems to have no problems with meddling in the affairs of Bangladesh and other countries,” Sachs said in an interview, raising concerns over what he referred to as Washington’s long history of destabilization efforts worldwide.
Recently, US President Trump criticized a $29 million USAID project in Bangladesh, stating it was awarded to an obscure two-person firm. Speaking at the White House during the annual winter meeting of US governors, he cited the project among several being canceled on the advice of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“$29 million to strengthen the political landscape in Bangladesh. Went to a firm that nobody ever heard of,” Trump said. “They had two people working there. I think they’re very happy, they’re very rich.”
The fund allocation has reignited debates over the Biden administration’s alleged role in destabilizing Sheikh Hasina’s government, echoing the concerns raised by Professor Jeffrey Sachs.
Hasina, who served as prime minister from 1996 to 2001 and then from 2008 until her recent departure, was forced to resign on August 5 following violent protests over government job quota system. The unrest, later fueled by external factor and local extremist groups, leave hundreds of people dead and thousands injured.
US pressure and strategic interests
Hasina’s hold on power appeared increasingly fragile, especially after Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu’s visit to Dhaka on May 17, 2024. While Lu denied that the US sought to establish an airbase in Bangladesh, the timing of his trip raised eyebrows in Dhaka’s political circles. The US State Department’s May 20 decision to sanction retired Bangladeshi Army General Aziz Ahmed for “significant corruption” further fueled speculation about Washington’s intent.
On May 23, 2024, Hasina alleged that a foreign country—describing it as a “white skin country”—had pressured her to allow the construction of an airbase in Bangladesh in exchange for securing her continued rule. “I do not want to gain power by renting or giving certain parts of my country to anyone,” she asserted at a meeting of Awami League leaders.
At the heart of the controversy is St. Martin’s Island, a small but strategically crucial landmass in the Bay of Bengal. Hasina had previously warned that the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) might “sell the island to the US” if it gained power. The island, located near Myanmar, has been of particular interest due to its potential as a military listening post with surveillance capabilities over the Bay of Bengal and the Strait of Malacca—an essential maritime route for China’s trade.
“The island is ideally positioned to facilitate surveillance in the Bay of Bengal, which has gained strategic significance due to China’s assertive push in the Indian Ocean region,” an Indian analyst noted. The US-backed Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), comprising India, Japan, Australia, and the US, has reportedly pressured Bangladesh to align with its strategic objectives, while China has pushed for Dhaka’s non-alignment.
The specter of ‘regime change’
Echoing concerns raised by Hasina’s allies, Bangladesh’s Workers Party leader Rashed Khan Menon accused the US of orchestrating her downfall. “The US wants St. Martin’s Island and they want Bangladesh in the Quad. They are doing everything to destabilize the current government,” he said in Parliament on June 14, 2023. He also pointed to historical precedents, recalling how Washington deployed its Seventh Fleet against Bangladesh during its Liberation War and allegedly played a role in the 1975 assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina’s father.
The US visa policy announced on May 24, 2023, which threatened travel restrictions on individuals accused of “undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh,” was seen as another pressure tactic. Observers have also linked Hasina’s pivot toward China—including her July 10 visit, where she secured $20 billion in new loans and signed 28 bilateral agreements—to growing US hostility.
‘Color Revolutions’ and the Bangladesh crisis
Jeffrey Sachs likened the recent upheaval in Bangladesh to past US-backed “color revolutions.” He noted that while genuine grievances fueled student protests, Washington often exploits such movements for its own geopolitical ends. “You take real unhappiness over some issues, stoke it, use US-funded media, make threats, coerce the military, and threaten the leadership,” he said.
Referring to Donald Lu’s role in the ouster of Pakistan’s Imran Khan, Sachs emphasized that a similar pattern had unfolded in Dhaka. “Lu showed up in Dhaka this spring. After his visit, Hasina reportedly told her political associates that she had been threatened by the US. A few weeks later, the protests erupted. Then, the military told her, ‘We can’t defend you,’ and she fled to India,” he claimed.
While stopping short of drawing definitive conclusions, Sachs stressed the need for an independent probe. “There is a lot of circumstantial evidence and claims that require investigation. The US is destabilizing the world and pushing it toward global conflict,” he warned.
As the world watches Bangladesh’s next steps, one thing remains clear: the battle for influence in Dhaka is far from over.
