New Delhi: Reports have surfaced suggesting that the United States may have played a crucial role in the political upheaval that led to the ousting of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. According to The Sunday Guardian, documents allegedly reveal that the US had been quietly orchestrating efforts to destabilise the Sheikh Hasina government since March 2019.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who recently fled to India after resigning on August 5, had previously accused the US of conspiring against her administration. At the time, these allegations were firmly denied by US officials. However, fresh evidence claims that American agencies, including the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), worked in concert to fuel anti-government sentiment in Bangladesh.
Operation PAIRS and The Role of US Agencies
The alleged plot, referred to as “Operation PAIRS,” began in March 2019 with the goal of engaging ordinary citizens and civil society members in opposition to the Hasina government. Reports suggest that these efforts targeted over 400,000 citizens through awareness campaigns designed to raise anti-establishment voices. The US agencies reportedly funneled vast sums of money into these efforts, with the IRI working closely with local civil society groups to amplify discontent.
In its early stages, the operation trained activists and supported grassroots movements, particularly among artists, musicians, and other influential figures. The strategy was to rally these communities as their voices were harder to suppress compared to ordinary citizens.
Challenges to the Coup Effort
Despite the intense effort, the Sheikh Hasina government thwarted the early stages of the plan by introducing the Digital Security Act in 2018, which restricted anti-government propaganda on social media. Moreover, Hasina’s effective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with significant support from India, further strengthened her public image, undermining efforts to use the crisis to stir rebellion.
Final Phase: The Alleged Overthrow
As these strategies failed to topple Hasina, American officials reportedly shifted their focus to the 2024 elections. A report by the Washington-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the IRI claimed widespread misuse of state machinery in the January elections, accusing the Hasina government of election fraud and political violence. The final phase of the alleged plot kicked off in April 2024, according to reports, with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, playing a key role.
The claim further suggests that arms were supplied to rebel groups through Bangkok during Donald Lu’s visit to Bangladesh in May. In London, opposition leader Tarique Rahman and Jamaat-e-Islami figures allegedly met to plan a coup, choosing July as a deadline to take advantage of flood conditions that would stretch the resources of the Bangladeshi army.
Hasina’s Departure and the Aftermath
On August 5, as student protests against government policies reached a fever pitch, Sheikh Hasina stepped down and fled to India, reportedly to ensure her safety. While no official US acknowledgment of involvement has surfaced, the allegations continue to fuel speculation. The Sunday Guardian report compares this situation to previous alleged US interventions in Mongolia (1996), Haiti (2001), and Uganda (2021), where the IRI reportedly played a similar role in facilitating regime change.
Alleged US Involvement Draws Global Scrutiny
Figures linked to the coup, including US officials Donald Lu, Sumona Guha, and Francisco Bencosme, remain under scrutiny for their alleged roles in the operation. The US has yet to respond to these accusations directly, and questions remain about the extent of involvement by US-backed agencies in Bangladesh’s political turbulence.
As the dust settles, Bangladesh finds itself in a state of uncertainty, with opposition forces vying for control and Sheikh Hasina in exile. For now, the full impact of this alleged foreign intervention on the nation’s future remains unclear, but it has certainly opened a new chapter in the country’s complex political history.
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