Bangladesh has not 'handed over' St Martin's island to US: govt officials

The photo was shared on November 1, 2024 on Facebook with a Bengali-language caption that read, "The process of handing over Saint Martin's is over! Alas, the unfortunate nation will cry for the Sheikh's daughter one day!"

It was shared by a former leader of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party. 

After Hasina was toppled, the interim government -- led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus -- banned the Chhatra League, citing its involvement in violent attacks on student protests (archived here).

Image

Screenshot of the misleading post, taken on November 6, 2024

The photo was also shared on Facebook here and here with a similar misleading claim.

The US State Department rejected in 2023 all allegations it was planning to take over Saint Martin's island after Hasina and her party leaders accused Washington of pressuring Dhaka to lease the territory to turn it into a military base (archived here).

Hasina has subsequently claimed that the United States played a role in her ouster because they want to take over the island -- an accusation that the White House has denied (archived here). 

In November this year, both the US and Bangladesh governments have separately refuted that military officials met to discuss the transfer of control over the island.

"This is blatant fake news. Saint Martin’s is an integral part of Bangladesh and is not for lease to any country", said Shafiqul Alam, press advisor to the interim Bangladeshi government that replaced Hasina.

"The meeting was a routine program and seven such meetings were held in previous years", he said.

"These claims are completely false," said Asha Beh, acting press officer at the US Embassy in Dhaka.

There have been no official reports that Bangladesh has ceded the island to the US as of November 12, 2024.

'Routine meeting'

The Bangladesh military said the photo was taken during routine Land Forces Talks (LFT) with 19 of its representatives and a 17-member delegation from the US Army in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka at the end of October.

A reverse image search in Google found the photo here on the website for the Bangladesh defense ministry's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) department (archived here).

It was titled "Successful completion of Bangladesh-United States 8th LAND FORCES TALKS (LFT)-2024".

Image

Screenshot comparison between the photo used in misleading Facebook post (left) and the photo published by ISPR (right)

"The two-day long Bangladesh-United States 8th Land Forces Talks (LFT) 2024 from 30 October to 31 October 2024 concluded today Thursday (31 October 2024) at Army Multipurpose Complex, Dhaka Cantonment," it said.

"The high-level meeting was attended by representatives of the armies of both the countries and fruitful discussions were held on various important issues to enhance mutual cooperation."

The release included the photo alongside the caption, "US delegation leader Major General Scott A. Winter and Brigadier General Humayun Kabir of Bangladesh Army are seen signing on behalf of their countries during the 8th LAND FORCES TALKS-2024."

The Bangladesh interim government, posting on Facebook as Chief Adviser Press Wing Facts, clarified on November 2 that the talks were part of a regular arrangement between the two countries, not a "handing over meeting" for Saint Martin’s island (archived here).

"Land Forces Talks between the Bangladesh Army and the US Army Pacific have continued for several years. The 7th Land Forces Talks was held August 14 – 16, 2023, at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Any post linking the talks with Saint Martin’s Island is a rumour. The Interim Government has made it clear on multiple occasions that it has no plan to lease out the Island to any foreign country for any purpose."