Saint Martin Island is located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal. This small island, about three square kilometers in size, is part of Bangladesh and is situated near the busy Malacca Strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
Recently, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and moved to India, accusing the United States of orchestrating a coup against her. Before leaving, she reportedly wanted to give a speech, a copy of which has gone viral on social media. In this speech, she claimed that if she had handed over Saint Martin Island to the U.S., this situation wouldn’t have occurred. But why is this island so important, and why did the U.S. want it?
Location and Importance of Saint Martin Island
Saint Martin Island is Bangladesh’s only coral reef island, also known as “Narikel Zinzira,” meaning “Coconut Island.” It is located about 9 kilometers south of the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Peninsula and 8 kilometers west of Myanmar’s northwest coast.
History of Saint Martin Island
In 1900, Saint Martin Island was part of British India. When Myanmar separated from British India in 1937, the island remained with India. During the 1947 partition, it became part of Pakistan, and when Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971, the island became part of Bangladesh. In 1974, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement recognizing the island as Bangladeshi territory.
Despite this agreement, Myanmar has continued to claim the island as its own. The dispute even reached the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), which, in 2012, ruled that the island belonged to Bangladesh. However, Myanmar still asserts its claim over the island.
Saint Martin Island is a popular tourist destination and an important resource for the local community, with over 3,000 residents, most of whom rely on fishing for their livelihood.
Why Does the U.S. Want the Island?
Saint Martin Island’s strategic location near the Malacca Strait makes it a valuable asset. Having a military base there would significantly increase any nation’s influence in the Bay of Bengal. It is believed that the U.S. wanted to establish a military presence on the island to strengthen its position in the region.
Sheikh Hasina has previously claimed that the U.S. wanted control over this island. In June, she alleged that the U.S. offered to help her win the Bangladeshi general elections in exchange for the island, but she refused.
However, the U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller denied these claims. Given the island’s strategic importance, it is not only the U.S. but also China that has shown interest in it.
