In a move that has sparked controversy, the U.S. State Department is set to host the annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards ceremony on Tuesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and First Lady Melania Trump presenting an award to a group of Bangladeshi female student protest leaders. The event has drawn scrutiny due to allegations surrounding the group’s ties to Islamist organizations and their role in the ousting of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.
According to the State Department’s website, the IWOC Award recognizes women worldwide who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership, often at great personal risk. The “Women Student Protest Leaders of Bangladesh” are scheduled to receive the Madeleine Albright Honorary Group Award. However, critics have raised concerns about the vetting process for this year’s recipients, pointing to the group’s alleged connections to USAID funding and Islamist organizations, including Hizbut Tahrir, an internationally designated terrorist group.
On August 5, 2024, Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh’s democratically elected female Prime Minister, was removed from office amid a wave of protests widely described as a “color revolution.” Following her ousting, reports emerged of Islamists breaking into her office and displaying her personal belongings, including undergarments, in front of cameras. Five days later, Dr. Mohammad Yunus, a professor with ties to the Clinton Foundation, was installed as the interim leader of Bangladesh.
USAID provided funding to support the protests that led to Hasina’s removal. In a recent speech, President Trump claimed that $29 million in USAID funds were sent to a political firm in Bangladesh with only two employees, intended to alter the country’s political landscape.
Further complicating the situation, Dr. Yunus has been linked to Mahfuz Alam, an alleged member of Hizbut Tahrir, whom Yunus reportedly praised as the “mastermind” behind Hasina’s ousting during a Clinton Foundation event in September 2024. Hizbut Tahrir seeks to re-establish an Islamic caliphate and implement Sharia law globally. Yunus has also been associated with Jamaat-e-Islami, another Islamist group said to have collaborated with the female student protesters. Additionally, Yunus has received support from Alexander Soros and the Soros family, with ties dating back to a 1999 business deal involving a telecom company in Bangladesh.
The decision to honor the Bangladeshi protest leaders has raised questions about the State Department’s oversight under the Trump administration, particularly given the President’s prior criticism of USAID’s actions in Bangladesh. Critics argue that the award undermines the administration’s stance and overlooks the country’s reported decline in women’s safety following Hasina’s removal, with some labeling Bangladesh a “rape capital” in the region.
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