Was the US behind the ouster of then Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina?
Did the US spend $21 million to fund the student movement that ultimately captured the Parliament and Prime Minister’s House, vandalised these places and looted almost everything on August 5, 2024?
USAID Channelises $21 Million Through CEEPS
An investigation by the Indian Express reveals that the USAID channelised $21 million through several specially made outfits like the Washington-based Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS).
The CEEPS sent the money through its member organisations, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Dhaka-based Nagrik projects and Amar Vote Amar were the main beneficiaries of the operation.
Though the Sheikh Hasina goverment ultimately fell on August 5, 2024, when the prime minister was given less than hour an hour of time to flee the country, the project to oust her began way back in July 2022 when the first tranche of money for Amar Vote Amar (My Vote is Mine) was sent.
USAID Nagorik Project Confirms Deal
The purpose of the grant was modified to USAID Nagorik Project in November. Confirming this, USAID Political Processes Advisor in Dhaka Lubain Chaudhury Masum said that “the USAID-funded $21 million CEPPS/Nagorik project… which I manage.”
Taking to LinkdedIn he wrote, “I had the pleasure of meeting colleagues from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) at their headquarters in Washington, DC, on December 2. Although NDI does not have an in-country presence in Bangladesh, it is one of the three prime partners, along with IRI and IFES, under the USAID-funded $21 million CEPPS/Nagorik project.”
The grant was for three years, from July 2022 to July 2025. However an amount of $13.4 million has already been spent.
USAID Grant Split Into 6 Sub-Grants
The grant was split into six sub-grants- two each for three CEPPS member organisations International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES); International Republican Institute (IRI); and National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Confirming the projects, the Micro Governance Research (MGR) programme of the University of Dhaka and MGR’s Director Associate Professor Aynul Islam wrote on Linked less than a month before the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, “In last two years, MGR, SAVE Youth, & DFTP team carried out 544 youth events and programs in the university campuses across Bangladesh (in the form of a workshop, training, dialogue, summit, action projects, and campaign) to promote youth democratic leadership and civic engagement that directly reached into 10,264 university youth through 221 action projects and 170 democracy sessions, among others! All these were possible with the generous support and partnership from The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and USAID under the hashtag#Nagorik Program!”
NDI-IRI Report Against Awami League
NDI-IRI wrote in it report published in March 2024, “Many stakeholders made credible accusations that state security services and other government institutions at times unevenly enforced election rules to favour the ruling Awami League. The scale of the government’s efforts to arrest opposition members and restrict or disrupt opposition political activities was not satisfactorily justified and generated a widespread perception of politicized law enforcement during the election period.”
DOGE Chief Elon Musk Cancels USAID Projects
The controversy erupted after US Department Of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk canceled the USAID funding. Defending him, US President Donald Trump said that he would not fund voters’ turnout in India. He also hinted that the previous administration of Joe Biden wanted someone else to get elected in India.
This caused a political uproar in India with the BJP attacking Congress, who hit back by demading a white paper.
However, Indian Express found in its investigation that it was Bangladesh and not India.
