Where is Bangladesh's St. Martin Island that ex-PM Sheikh Hasina accused US of trying to control?

Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, responded for the first time following the overthrow of her administration. He blames America for inciting a state of civil war-like conditions in his nation. Hasina claimed that she had to be removed from office because she refused to give America control of St. Martin Island in a message sent to the media by her close aides. She said, "I resigned so that I don't have to see a pile of dead bodies. I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of the island of St. Martin to America. Now the question arises that why is America after a small island located in the remote Bay of Bengal and what benefit will it get by acquiring it?"

St. Martin's Island is actually a tiny island, covering only 3 square kilometres, located in the northeastern Bay of Bengal, approximately 9 kilometres south of the southernmost tip of Bangladesh and the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf Peninsula. makes. The island was once a longer section of the Teknaf Peninsula, dating back thousands of years. Eventually, the southernmost portion of the Teknaf Peninsula became an island and split off from Bangladesh's mainland when part of it was submerged. 18th-century Arab traders were the first to settle on this island. It bears the name "Jazeera."

St. Martin is easily reachable by sea from anywhere in the world due to its unique geographic location. It is therefore a significant waterway. The island of St. Martin offers strategic advantages, including the ability to monitor the Bay of Bengal and the surrounding sea area. From this perspective, St. Martin is crucial to Bangladesh. South Asia also makes sure that the geopolitical balance of power is maintained. Between South and Southeast Asia, the Bay of Bengal serves as a bridge. Thus, through trade routes, this region is highly advantageous for forging relationships with other nations in geopolitics.