Recently, a video has been circulated on various internet platforms with a caption claiming that former U.S. Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller made the following comments: ‘Sheikh Hasina’s resignation has been deemed illegal according to international law. Political violence has increased in the country since the interim government came to power. The country was run very efficiently when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in charge. A notice has been sent to Dr. Yunus’s government to immediately hand over power to Sheikh Hasina. If this order is disobeyed, strict action will be taken against him, and his Nobel Prize will be canceled.’
See posts circulated on Facebook with this claim here (archive), here (archive), and here (archive).
See the post circulated on Instagram here (archive).
See the post circulated on TikTok here (archive).
Fact-check
An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team found that the former U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Matthew Miller, did not make any comment stating that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was illegal or that a notice was sent to Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s interim government to immediately hand over power to her. In reality, a video of then-spokesperson Matthew Miller’s comments on Bangladesh from a Department of State press briefing in August 2024 has been circulated with the false claim.
An investigation into the matter led to a YouTube Shorts published on the official channel of the U.S. Department of State on August 7, 2024, titled ‘U.S. Response to Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina’s Resignation’. The video bears a resemblance to the one being circulated with the claim.
In the video, then-spokesperson Matthew Miller is seen announcing the United States’ support for the people of Bangladesh following the resignation of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, during the July mass uprising, and warmly welcoming the announcement of the formation of an interim government in Bangladesh.
Further investigation into this video led to a full video published on the official YouTube channel of the U.S. Department of State on August 6, 2024, titled ‘Department of State Daily Press Briefing – August 5, 2024’. The visuals in this video match those in the circulated video.
Observing the video, it is seen that the segment from 01:27 to 02:10 was used in the circulated video.
In that part of the video, then-spokesperson Matthew Miller speaks of the United States standing with the people of Bangladesh after the resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and warmly welcomes the announcement of the formation of an interim government in Bangladesh.
Notably, Dr. Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the Chief Adviser of the interim government on August 8, 2024.
This means that the video of the U.S. Department of State’s press briefing has been on the internet since August 6, before the interim government was sworn in.
The video contains no information suggesting that Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was deemed illegal, that a notice was sent to Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s interim government to hand over power, or that strict action would be taken against Dr. Yunus and his Nobel Prize would be canceled if the order was disobeyed.
Subsequently, a report published on the website of the mainstream media outlet Jugantor on August 6, 2024, titled ‘Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, what the United States said’ also shows similar images and information.
Therefore, the claim that Matthew Miller commented that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation was deemed illegal and that a notice was sent to the interim government to hand over power to her is false.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State – U.S. Response to Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina’s Resignation
- U.S. Department of State – Department of State Daily Press Briefing – August 5, 2024
- Jugantor – শেখ হাসিনার পদত্যাগ, যা বলল যুক্তরাষ্ট্র (Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, what the United States said)
