After months of violent protests, Bangladesh experienced a seismic shift as Sheikh Hasina’s 16-year-long government was suddenly overthrown. But was the massive student movement the sole reason for Hasina’s swift departure to India, as dictated by the Bangladeshi military? Or does a more intricate plot involving global superpowers lie beneath the surface?
While authoritarian governance, marginalisation of opposition parties, nepotism, and media suppression under Hasina’s regime are apparent reasons for her downfall, emerging details suggest that global powers played a significant role in bolstering the student movement. This may have been orchestrated through a non-political figure with significant influence in Bangladesh: Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
For some time, there has been a protracted political game against Sheikh Hasina’s government, both within and outside Bangladesh. Overseas Bangladeshis have played a significant role in these efforts. Geopolitical tensions involving India, China, and Russia have added layers of complexity, with these nations’ vested interests now being hotly debated in international media. The United States is believed to have used Dr. Yunus as a front to strategically initiate the movement, mobilizing students, and later pressuring the military to overthrow Hasina’s government before she could react.
A report by The Guardian suggests that Dr. Yunus was in Paris during the Olympic Games when he was allegedly instructed to prepare to return to India to head an interim government after Hasina’s government was overthrown. Dr. Yunus’s lawyers informed The Guardian that a Dhaka court had overturned a conviction against him for labour law violations—charges he claimed were part of a broader campaign of legal harassment orchestrated by Hasina. Beyond the student uprising, it’s noteworthy that the US Pentagon has long sought to establish a strategic military base on Saint Martin’s Island, located in the Bay of Bengal under Bangladeshi territory. Hasina consistently denied US forces access to the island, aiming to maintain relations with China, who opposes US control over the island. Despite her strong ties with India, her resistance to US interests set the stage for friction.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, a prominent banker with close ties to the US government, was recognized by the US Congress with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2013 for his efforts in promoting economic and social change. In 2009, President Barack Obama also awarded Yunus the Medal of Freedom, further solidifying his connections with the US. Born in Chittagong in 1940, Dr. Yunus earned his PhD in economics from Vanderbilt University in 1971. He is widely regarded as a reformer of Bangladesh’s economic system, particularly through his microcredit schemes aimed at providing small loans to impoverished individuals, especially women. This initiative gained worldwide recognition, and in 2006, Dr. Yunus was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Dr. Yunus founded Grameen Bank in 2006, aiming to expand his microcredit scheme across Bangladesh and internationally. Grameen Bank now operates in 94% of Bangladeshi villages, serving 45 million people, including 10.61 million borrowers. Dr. Yunus wields considerable economic influence in Bangladesh and substantial wealth in the US through his Grameen Banking network.
According to a Sunday Guardian article, Dr. Yunus’s close relations with President Obama, Hillary Clinton, and George Soros have been well known for decades. He has been nurtured by Washington, waiting for the right moment to be positioned as an alternative to Sheikh Hasina.
When former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in a closed-door meeting on May 24, she reportedly warned of a “conspiracy” orchestrated by a foreign power (the US) that was displeased with her return to power in the January 2024 elections.
Noticeably, when the interim government was established following Hasina’s overthrow, Washington swiftly endorsed Yunus’s interim setup. Secretary Blinken tweeted, “I welcome the swearing-in of Dr. Muhammad Yunus to lead the interim government in Bangladesh. The United States supports his call for calm and peace and remains committed to working with Bangladesh as it charts a democratic, prosperous future for its people.”
Three days after Sheikh Hasina’s dismissal, the 84-year-old Dr. Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of Bangladesh’s interim government on August 8, 2024. His cabinet includes key figures like Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, top student leaders, and other notable professionals tasked with restoring peace and preparing for new elections.
The interim government’s primary responsibility should be to maintain freedom of speech, law and order, and a fair justice system until national free and fair elections are held. However, navigating existing geopolitical tensions will be a significant challenge. The US is likely to demand that the new government reconsider its request to establish a military base on Saint Martin’s Island, a demand previously denied by Hasina. China will likely oppose US involvement on the island, while India and Russia may have their own expectations from the new government.
Moreover, in the past, the US and Australia urged Bangladesh to join The Quad—a partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the US. Hasina resisted this due to her plans to pursue trade and infrastructure development with China. The interim government must navigate these pressures carefully to ensure stability.
In many developing countries, coups and regime changes are often influenced by foreign powers under the guise of bringing peace and establishing corruption-free governments. However, these actions often serve the vested interests of global powers rather than the people. The history of US involvement in “colour revolutions” against independent leaders is a reminder of the complex geopolitical landscape that Bangladesh’s new leadership must now navigate.
—The writer is journalist, analyst based
in Sydney, Australia.
