Image for Representation purpose with map of St Martin at Centre,
The recent political turmoil in Bangladesh has once again raised serious speculations over the possible interference of deep state, intelligence agencies in overthrowing/changing regime in countries where the masses in general are aligned more with the idea of economic progress and true democratic values.
Such speculations only got embolden after the ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina in a statement claimed that she would have been able to govern the country smoothly had she been compromised the sovereignty of the sole coral island of the South Asian nation, currently in midst of unabated communal violence against its own minority population.
“I resigned to avoid witnessing the death toll that radicals sought to achieve through violence. They wanted to gain power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow that by stepping down. I could have stayed in power by surrendering Saint Martin Island’s sovereignty, allowing US control over the Bay of Bengal. I urge my fellow countrymen not to be misled by radicals, said Hasina”
The bold claim made by Hasina about the change in regime which has eventually culminated in installation of Nobel laureate at the helm of affairs in Bangladesh has once again left the speculations around the St Martins Island aka Daruchini Dweep floating across the media and in the geo political world .
The development has raised serious doubts about the alleged student protest which changes its color and turned into a full-fledged anti-Hindu campaign as soon as the Sheikh Hasina ousted from the territory of Bangladesh on a short ultimatum of around half an hour.
Daruchini Dwip or St Martin Island
Home to just over three and half thousand people, the pristine Daruchini Dwip is located on the North-Eastern tip of the Bay of Bengal stretching roughly in an area of 3sq km only which was annexed by the Britishers in 1900 and named subsequently as St Martin.
The coral landmass was declared a part of the British India when Myanmar was separated from occupation of the former in 1937. The island became a marine territory of East Pakistan subsequently at the time of its separation from Bharat which later emerged as Bangladesh following its independence from Pakistan in 1971.
The Bangladeshi sovereignty on the island got solidified following the signing of 1974 agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar which identifies the strategically located island as part of the Bangladesh territory. However, soon disputes arise between the two countries over its maritime boundaries leading to a legal battle in the International Tribunal for the Law of Sea (ITLOS) which eventually affirmed the sovereignty of St Martin with Bangladesh in 2012.
Moreover, the disputes linked to its boundaries and the strategic location of which enables it to oversee the Malacca strait (a significant maritime route accounting for around one third of global sea trade) has made St Martin a bone of contention between the giant nations eager to strengthen their hold on to the region, as claimed by experts.
Tussle for strategic supremacy and natural resources
It is widely believed that both United States and China are at loggerheads with each other for gaining supremacy in the region and St Martin’s proximity to the latter has made it a critical location for the US who is grappling with the Chinese influence in South Asian region.
These ideas got some sort of legitimacy after the now ousted Sheikh Hasina in June last year alleged that certain countries had intended to build a military base on the Island and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by her arch rival Khaleeda Jiya is in bed with powers eager to acquire the island for securing power. Hasina’s allegations drew quick rebuttal from the US state department who denied about any such engagements on St Martin island only to be blamed with similar accusations recently.
It is pertinent to mention here that just before her ousting on August 5, Sheikh Hasina signed a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership with the Chinese premiere Xi Jinping in July this year. The MoU signed between the two nations read that both countries have “pledged to fight external interference and boost economic cooperation,” indicating a firm commitment between the two countries to counter any attempt linked to change in status quo in St Martin.
Notably, other than the strategic significance of the island for maritime trade, the ongoing tussle for entering in the proximity of the island is also believed to be triggered by interest related to securing the abundance of natural resources hiding under the sea bed of the region.
The speculation around such an ongoing race between the big cats to secure their share in natural resources got embolden recently after Bangladesh invited bids for exploration of 24 blocks in the Bay of Bengal, attracting applications from China’s CNOOC, and Bharat’s ONGC and EXXON.
External interference, Christian state and the role of ISI
The sequence of event preceding the recent turmoil and the subsequent change of regime in Bangladesh has led many geopolitical experts and pundits in believing that the forced change in regime in Bangladesh was a joint outcome of significant foreign interference and internal sabotage.
Significantly, months before the political upheaval, Sheikh Hasina had dropped hints that a white man had approached her with an offer of building an airbase on the island in exchange of her smooth continuation in power. She further had claimed that “conspiracies are still on” to carve a new country out of Bangladesh, like East Timor by including parts of Bangladesh (Chattogram hill tracts) and Myanmar with a base in Bay of Bengal.
Similar allegations of foreign interference were also labelled by individuals who were part of the Hasina led Awami league government lately. In an interview with a prominent media portal aired in June this year, one of the leader of the party also alleged about several meetings by a foreign individual with the leaders of the opposition BNP.
The said individual associated with the Awami league had further reiterated Hasina’s claims linked to balkanisation of Bangladesh on religious lines to craft out a Christian state with Kuki-Chin province of Myanmar and Mizoram of Bharat possibly.
Taking it further Hasina’s son Wajeed Joy recently also dropped hints about the suspected role of Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) in orchestrating the protest against her mother later high jacked by the radicals leading to massive violence against the Hindu community of Bangladesh in over two dozen districts.
It is speculated that the notorious intelligence agency of the Pakistan backed by other foreign powers could be the very force behind the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh.
Implications for Bharat
In all, the unfolding of the unfavorable political developments in Dhaka in the last few months have only added to the worries of New Delhi which shares a porous and long border with Bangladesh stretching up to 4096 kilometers.
Precisely, the political instability in Bangladesh could not only lead to a major threat for Bharat’s highly strategic Siliguri or the Chicken’s neck corridor given the rise of radical elements in Bangladesh but it could also lead to serious implication pertaining to its maritime security in Bay of Bengal.
Moreover, the concentration of Bangladeshi infiltrators in various pockets of Bharat closed to its border also poses a serious threat to country’s security as attempts to lead them into anti-Bharat activities by ISI and other radicals group cannot be ruled out as well.
More significantly with the rise of certain radical groups fueled with anti-Bharat sentiment, a similar front like the western borders marred by cross border terrorism would be the worst nightmare for Bharat.
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