News Brief
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
The US government has strongly rejected claims suggesting its involvement in the widespread uprising in Bangladesh that led to Sheikh Hasina's ouster.
In a statement on Monday (12 August), White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that the US had “no involvement” in the situation, labeling the rumors as “simply false”.
In a media briefing, Jean-Pierre addressed the issue, saying, “We have had no involvement at all. Any reports or rumors that the United States government was involved in these events are simply false. That is not true.”
The recent student protests in Bangladesh, which have led to the deaths of hundreds, culminated in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation on 5 August as tensions escalated. Following her resignation, Hasina fled to India.
“Any allegations, certainly we will continue to say, and what I have said here is simply untrue," she added.
On the protests outside the White House in response to attacks on Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh, Jean-Pierre said, “We are certainly going to continue monitoring the situation. I don’t have anything else to add beyond that. But, when it comes to any type of human rights issue, the president (Joe Biden) has been very consistent in speaking loud and clear in public and also privately, and he’ll continue to do that."