US President Donald Trump has dismissed allegations of a "deep state" conspiracy interfering in Bangladesh, deflecting concerns by saying, "I'll leave Bangladesh to PM Modi." His remark, made amid strained India-Bangladesh ties, effectively put the onus on India to manage its neighbour while Washington distanced itself from Dhaka’s escalating crisis.
Tensions between India and Bangladesh have grown following the rise of the Muhammad Yunus-led government, which took power after months of violent protests. The unrest in Bangladesh, including attacks on minority Hindus, was reportedly a key topic during Trump’s recent bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Trump administration’s stance became clear when the United States announced it would halt all aid to Bangladesh. USAID, Washington’s primary donor agency, issued a directive suspending all operations in the country. A letter from USAID read: “This letter is directing all USAID/Bangladesh implementing partners to immediately cease or suspend any work under your USAID/Bangladesh contract, work order, grant, cooperative agreement, or other assistance or acquisition instrument.”
The decision follows allegations from former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had accused the US of attempting to orchestrate her removal. Hasina claimed she faced pressure after rejecting a US request to establish a military base on St. Martin’s Island, a strategic location in the Bay of Bengal.
On February 13, protests were held outside Blair House in Washington, DC, where supporters of Bangladesh’s Awami League and its affiliated groups gathered against Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. Demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Step down, step down! Killer Yunus, killer Yunus!"
The crisis traces back to mid-2024, when violent student-led protests over job quotas forced Hasina to resign and flee to India. A United Nations report on the unrest highlighted targeted attacks against Hindus and other minorities, with mobs burning homes and vandalizing places of worship. Hindus constitute approximately 8% of Bangladesh’s 170 million population.