US did not discuss taking over St Martin's Island; respects Bangladesh's sovereignty: State department

The US Department of State has rejected all allegations in regard to taking over Saint Martin's Island in Bangladesh.

During a press conference on Monday (27 June), Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, asserted that the United States has never engaged in any discussions regarding taking control of St Martin's Island or has any intention to do so.

In a recent press conference, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, without taking any name, said she will not resort to selling any national assets or compromising the country's sovereignty to stay in power.

"I don't want to return to power by leasing out St Martin's Island," she said on Wednesday (21 June) in response to questions from journalists during a press conference at Ganobhaban. 

Blaming BNP, for colluding with those seeking to seize St Martin's Island as part of their plan to oust Hasina from power, she said, "The BNP came to power in 2001 by giving undertakings to sell gas. Now they want to sell the country. They want to come to power through an undertaking to sell St Martin's."

Responding to a question saying the PM hinted at the US, to whom BNP wants to sell the island, the spokesperson said, "I will just say that it is not accurate.  We respect Bangladesh's sovereignty, and we have never engaged in any conversations about taking over St. Martin's Island."  

Reiterating the importance of the partnership between the two nations, Matthew Miller, at the time, hoped to enhance the relationship by collaboratively promoting democracy and supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh.

Although the Bangladeshi premier, during the press conference, did not categorically mention any name who may be seeking to take a lease of St Martin's, two other members of parliament (MPS) in Bangladesh spoke openly against US's intention about the island.

During a parliamentary discussion on 14 June, Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, alleged that the United States is after Saint Martin's Island and that the new US visa policy is part of a strategy for "regime change".

He said, "The US wants Saint Martin's Island and they want Bangladesh in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). They are doing everything to destabilize the current government."

On 19 June, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu expressed his concerns, questioning whether the US is meddling in Bangladesh's affairs for the sake of democracy or for control of Saint Martin's Island.

"It's time for us to think about the reason for America's over-enthusiasm. Is it Democracy or Saint Martin's Island?" he said, adding, "The United States has suddenly become very enthusiastic about Bangladesh. They actually want to make Bangladesh a playground to 'dominate' India."

Following Sheikh Hasina's remark, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir refuted the claim calling it a political ploy.

"BNP has never sold the interests of the country, rather the government has sold the interests of the country. The statement made by the prime minister about St Martin is a political strategy," said the BNP leader at the party chairperson's office on Thursday (22 June).

This, however, is not the first time that such concerns surfaced centring Saint Martin's Island.

Previously in 2003, then-US Ambassador Mary Ann Peters ruled out the media speculations where it was being said that Washington was desperate to lease a military base from Dhaka to station its forces somewhere between the Far and Middle East(s).

"The United States has no plans, no requirement, and no desire for a military base on St. Martin's Island, Chittagong, or anywhere else in Bangladesh," she said, on 2 July 2003, while addressing a seminar titled 'Security of South Asia: A US Perspective' at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS).

In her speech, reflecting on a US perspective that quintessentially stems from US concern over terrorism, weapons proliferation and the near stagnation in the region's socio-economic developments, the ambassador noted that South Asia has become a major focal point of the US foreign policy.