New Delhi: US President Donald Trump rejected any suggestion of the American “deep state” meddling in the political crisis in Bangladesh and deferred the question to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a session Thursday.
When asked about the situation in Bangladesh, Trump responded, “I’ll leave Bangladesh to PM Modi.” The two leaders were at a question-and-answer session at the White House Oval Office, prior to their key bilateral meeting.
Allegations have surfaced claiming US involvement in the regime change in Bangladesh last year, with former US official Mike Benz accusing United States Agency For International Development (USAID) and other agencies of destabilising the country. He suggested the US might have supported the 2024 uprising against Sheikh Hasina’s government to secure a military base in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi newspaper, The Dhaka Tribune, however, reported in October that the documents were doctored.
The question posed to President Trump cited this interference—apparently during the Joe Biden administration—and also inquired about a meeting between Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus and George Soros’s son Alex, days after the Trump administration halted foreign aid to Bangladesh.
“And Mr President, what would you like to say about the Bangladesh issue because we saw, and it is evident, how the deep state of the US was involved in regime change during the Biden administration. Then Muhammad Yunus met Junior Soros also. What is your point of view about the Bangalis,” the journalist asked.
Trump rubbished these claims, saying, “Well, there was no role for our deep state. This is something that the (Indian) prime minister has been working on for a long time… But I will leave Bangladesh to the prime minister.”
Modi, who was initially silent during Trump’s response, did not address the situation in Bangladesh but went on to speak about India-US relations, particularly in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. He praised President Trump’s initiatives and reiterated India’s commitment to peace.
Incidentally, the two leaders discussed Bangladesh in their Washington meet Thursday. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told the media that Modi shared views and his concerns about the recent developments in Bangladesh and how India saw the situation.
“We hope the situation in Bangladesh will also move forward in a direction where we can pursue relations in a constructive and stable way with them. There are concerns about that situation and the PM shared those views with President Trump,” Misri added.
Trump’s remarks came amid growing political tensions in Bangladesh. The Trump-led administration in December had halted all aid to its interim government, and USAID announced an immediate stop to all work, including contracts, grants, and other cooperation agreements.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: Hasina, Awami League behind widespread human rights abuse during 2024 Bangladesh protests—UN report