In an intriguing twist, Sajeeb Wajed, the son of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, has denied that his mother had prepared a speech blaming the U.S. for her ouster before or after her resignation.
“The recent resignation statement attributed to my mother published in a newspaper is completely false and fabricated. I have just confirmed with her that she did not make any statement either before or since leaving Dhaka,” said Sajeeb in a post on X.
Earlier on Sunday, a report in the Economic Times cited a message ‘conveyed through her close associates” as saying that Sheikh Hasina had prepared a speech before she abruptly resigned and left for Dhaka on August 5.
ET Exclusive: Sheikh Hasina releases speech which she had desired to deliver before her departure on August 5. Blames her refusal to hand over St Martin Island to USA as reason for her ouster. Says her comments on students were distorted — My report @ETPolitics pic.twitter.com/eS4o7lR9uF
— Dipanjan R Chaudhury (@DipanjanET) August 11, 2024
The report said that in that speech, she blamed her refusal to hand over St Martin, a small but strategic island in the Bay of Bengal to U.S. as the reason for her ouster.
“I resigned, so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it, I resigned from premiership. I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech to the people of my land, ‘Please do not be manipulated by radicals,” the report quoted Hasina as saying in her speech.
The report also claims that in her prepared speech, Hasina said: “I would like to repeat to the young students of Bangladesh. I have never called you Razakars. Rather My words were distorted to incite you. I request you to watch the full video.”
However, Sajeeb’s post seems to contradict the entire story.
The recent resignation statement attributed to my mother published in a newspaper is completely false and fabricated. I have just confirmed with her that she did not make any statement either before or since leaving Dhaka
— Sajeeb Wazed (@sajeebwazed) August 11, 2024
Sajeeb has been accused of making contradictory statements earlier about whether or not his mother would return to Bangladesh, and also about the possibility of him taking over the reins of the Awami League.
