St Martin's in Bangladesh: Did this island lead to Sheikh Hasina's downfall?

Hasina's allegation brings into focus China's strategy in the Indian ocean region, as part of its Belt and Road Initiative.

Located in the north-eastern part of the Bay of Bengal, the St Martin’s Island came into focus with the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in Bangladesh.

According to reports, Hasina has hinted at the role of the USA behind her ouster. Reports claimed that Hasina, in her undelivered speech, mentioned that the US was behind her ouster from power because she did not hand over St Martin’s Island to it.  However, Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, denied that his mother made any statements before fleeing Dhaka on August 5 amid the protests. However, in the past too, Hasina made these claims. Ahead of the Bangladesh election in January, Hasina had claimed that “a white man” had offered her a smooth return to power in exchange for an airbase.

Where is St Martin’s land?

Known as Narikel Jinjira (due to the abundance of coconut trees) or Daruchini Dwip, it is Bangladesh’s only coral island.  About 3 km square in area, the island is located about 9 km south of the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Tankaf peninsula.  It is reportedly home to about 3,800 residents, most of whom are fishermen. The residents primarily engage in fishing, rice cultivation, coconut farming and seaweed harvesting. The seaweed is dried and exported to Myanmar.

Following the Partition of 1947, the island came under Pakistani control. In 1971, after the Liberation War, the island came under Bangladesh. It is just 8m away from Myanmar.  In 1974, Bangladesh and Myanmar reached an agreement, affirming that the island lies in the Bangladeshi territory.

However, the island has been at the heart of a long-standing sovereignty dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar. It is mainly due to disagreements over maritime boundaries and fishing rights in the surrounding waters. Recently, it was alleged that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had planned to sell it to the USA for building a military base in return for electoral support.

Why is the US interested in St Martin’s Island?

This island has impacted Bangladesh’s politics for decades. Its strategic location near the Bay of Bengal and its maritime boundary with Mynamar has attracted attention from the USA. It is claimed that the USA wants to build an air base on the small island.  The biggest advantage for a country with a military base at St. Martin's would be a strategic oversight in and around the Strait of Malacca.

The rumours of US wanting control over the island has been doing the rounds for several years now with Washington even officially denying such plans.  In 2003, Mary Ann Peters, the then US envoy to Bangladesh, said her country “has no plans, no requirement, and no desire for a military base on St. Martin’s Island, Chittagong, or anywhere else in Bangladesh”.

According to The Print, the island would also prove to be a prick point to the Cox Bazaar port in Bangladesh that the Chinese are building. It  can be turned into a good listening post for surveillance activities, focussed not just on China’s and Myanmar’s activities, but also India’s.

Why is the Bay of Bengal strategic?

Hasina's allegation brings into focus China's strategy in the Indian ocean region, as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This is China’s bid to combat India by building a series of military bases and economic trade corridors.

Bangladesh has partnered with China in its BRI initiative. Accoridng to India, India terms the project a violation of its sovereignty, as the it passes through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (Pok). Increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean region has raised alarm bells in Washington, which responded by its own Indo-Pacific strategy, in which India is a key strategic partner.

The two countries have also developed other mechanisms such as  Quadrilateral security dialogue (QUAD) and Malabar naval exercises among other measures in response to China's rise in the region.