Staff Reporter :
Former US diplomat John Danilowicz has dismissed allegations that the United States played any part in Bangladesh’s recent political transformation during the July uprising, describing such claims as a “myth” promoted by the former ruling Awami League and its supporters.
Speaking at a seminar held on Monday at North South University (NSU) in Dhaka, Danilowicz said, “The idea that the United States was involved in the political developments of July-August lacks any credible evidence.
Despite repeated accusations, no proof has ever been presented to substantiate these claims.”
The seminar, titled “The Significance of the July Revolution in the Context of US-Bangladesh Relations: Looking Back, Moving Forward,” was organised by the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at NSU.
The event was chaired by NSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury, with a keynote address delivered by Muhammad Sufiur Rahman, former Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN in Geneva and currently a Senior Research Fellow at SIPG.
Danilowicz, who previously served as head of the political section at the US Embassy in Dhaka, placed the recent student-led movement within the broader framework of US-Bangladesh relations.
He drew historical parallels with the military-backed caretaker government of 2007-08, widely associated with the political events surrounding “1/11”.
Reiterating his position, Danilowicz stated that no conversations with American officials during or after the July events revealed any indication of US involvement. “In fact, we have come across evidence confirming the contrary – that the United States was not involved,” he said.
Reflecting on the events of January 11, 2007, Danilowicz acknowledged persistent speculation about US influence but dismissed such views as unsubstantiated.
“It was the military leadership in Bangladesh that took the decisive steps during that period,” he noted. He added, however, that the US, like other international stakeholders, had expressed concerns at the time about the evolving political situation.
The seminar was moderated by SIPG Director Sheikh Tawfique M. Haque and also featured contributions from former Dhaka University professor M Shahiduzzaman, Dean of the NSU Business School AKM Waresul Islam, and President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Faisal Samad.
