Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has spoken out for the first time since her dramatic resignation and departure to India a week ago, hinting at the United States' role in her unceremonious exit, reports the Hindustan Times and the Economic Times on Sunday.
"I resigned to avoid witnessing further violence. They aimed to seize power over the dead bodies of students, but I prevented that by resigning," the newspapers said quoting Hasina.
Hasina resigned on August 5 amid escalating protests by students demanding an end to the controversial quota system for government jobs.
Last week, fearing for safety amid widespread violence, Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka in a military aircraft. She is currently in a secure location in India.
An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been established to oversee the transition and prepare for early elections.
Hasina explained had she stayed in the country, more deaths and destruction would have taken place.
"I became your leader because you chose me; you were my strength," she added.
The violence that followed Hasina's resignation has resulted in over 230 deaths, bringing the total number of casualties since the protests began in mid-July to 560.
Addressing the student protesters, Hasina clarified that she never called protesting students 'Razakars'.
"My words were distorted to incite you. Watch the full video of that day to understand how conspirators have exploited your innocence to destabilise the nation," the Awami League leader said.
The term "Razakar" is often used to refer to people who were believed to be collaborators of the Pakistani military during the 1971 Liberation War.
Sheikh Hasina also claimed that she could have remained in power "if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin's Island and allowed America [USA] to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal".
"I beseech to the people of my land, 'Please do not be manipulated by radicals'," she said.
In May, Hasina alleged a conspiracy to create a Christian state similar to East Timor by partitioning parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
She claimed she was offered an easy reelection if she allowed a foreign nation to establish an airbase in Bangladesh, without naming the country involved, said the Hindustan Times.
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