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Hasina was ousted in August following intense student-led protests, during which crimes against Hindus and other minorities were condemned by Trump.
Sheikh Hasina said Trump’s resounding election victory is a testament to his extraordinary leadership qualities. (Reuters)
Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Donald Trump on his stunning victory in the US presidential elections on Wednesday, where he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to mark a historic return to the White House as the 47th President of the United States.
Interestingly enough, Hasina’s congratulatory message issued through a post on the verified Facebook page of Awami League identified her as the ‘Prime Minister’, months after a student-led protest intensified into an full-blown agitation against her government and forced her to resign and flee to India.’
The statement signed by Awami League Office Secretary Biplab Barua read, “The President of the Bangladesh Awami League, (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina, has congratulated Donald J. Trump on his election as the 47th President of the United States of America.”
‘Resounding Victory A Testament To Extraordinary Leadership’
“She stated that his resounding election victory is a testament to his extraordinary leadership qualities and the immense trust bestowed on him by the American people. Sheikh Hasina recalled with fondness her several meetings and interactions as Prime Minister with Donald J. Trump and Melania Trump during his first presidency,” the Awami League statement further read.
She expressed hope that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and America would be strengthened under the second Trump cabinet and shared her “commitment to working together again to advance the bilateral and multilateral interests of both countries”.
This came after Bangladesh’s interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus also extended congratulations to Donald Trump on his election triumph and expressed optimism for strengthened bilateral ties and future cooperation.
“We welcome this (his win). We hope Bangladesh-US relations will be deepened and relations will reach a new height,” His Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters at a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Wednesday evening.
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What A Trump Victory Means For Bangladesh?
Trump’s recent tweet condemning alleged violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh has sparked intense reactions and widespread debate on the impact of a second Donald Trump presidency on Bangladesh following the chaos and violence that gripped the country in mid-July.
“I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos. It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America,” he said on X.
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In a piece in The Eurasian Times, author Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury said Trump’s remarks on the alleged violence in Bangladesh have added an unexpected international angle to an already charged campaign season.
Citing Yunus’ visit to the US, where he and the protest leaders received endorsement from former US President Bill Clinton, Choudhary opined that the regime change in Bangladesh was devised by the Clintons, Obama, and Soros, with no engagement with Trump or other Republicans.
“If Trump wins on November 5, he could likely implement severe measures against Bangladesh, potentially including broad restrictions on the country or sanctions targeting specific individuals. Conversely, if Kamala Harris wins, her administration may not continue Biden’s policy on Bangladesh,” he wrote.
- Location :
Dhaka, Bangladesh