Never discussed taking control of St. Martin‍‍`s: US spokesperson

No discussions for taking Bangladesh‍‍`s St. Martin‍‍`s Island have ever taken place, said the US Department of State.

In response to a query about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina‍‍`s claim that opposition BNP wants to sell the island to the US, Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said this during a press briefing on Monday.

"I will just say that it is not accurate. We respect Bangladesh‍‍`s sovereignty, and we have never engaged in any conversations about taking over St Martin‍‍`s Island. We value our partnership with Bangladesh. We strive to bolster our relationship by working together to promote democracy, including by supporting free and fair elections," he said.