M Mushfiqul Fazal, State Department correspondent
The US have never engaged in any conversations about taking over St Martin’s Island in Bangladesh.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, said this at a briefing on Monday in reply to a question asked about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina alleging that the US wants to grab St Martin’s island and the main opposition BNP wants to sell it to the US.
At the briefing, State Department correspondent M Mushfiqul Fazal asked, “During a recent press conference, Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina alleged that the US wants to grab the small island of St Martin. And main opposition BNP wants to sell it to the US. That’s why she will be ousted from power. Last 15 years, she has been in power without reflection of the will of the people of Bangladesh, though. Really you wants to purchase or grab this small island, or is all this a disinformation spreading by the top regime people? Why is it so important for no reason, St Martin Island?”
In reply Miller 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.”
“We value our partnership with Bangladesh. We strive to bolster our relationship by working together to promote democracy, including by supporting free and fair elections,” he added.
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