A leaked phone call, authenticated by BBC Eye, reveals former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina explicitly authorising security forces to use lethal force against student-led protesters during last summer’s unrest.
In the recording, dated July 18, 2024, Hasina is heard instructing an unidentified senior official to “use lethal weapons” and shoot protesters “wherever they find [them].”
The audio, verified by Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department and audio forensics experts Earshot, is set to be pivotal evidence in Hasina’s ongoing trial in absentia for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka.
The protests, initially sparked by opposition to civil service job quotas for 1971 war veterans’ relatives, escalated into a mass movement that ousted Hasina after 15 years in power.
Up to 1,400 people died in the violence, according to UN investigators, marking Bangladesh’s worst unrest since the 1971 war. Hasina, now in India, and her Awami League party deny the charges, with a spokesperson claiming the audio shows no “unlawful intention” or “disproportionate response.”
The July 18 call, recorded by the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC), occurred at Hasina’s Dhaka residence, Ganabhaban, during a critical escalation.
Social media videos of police killings fuelled public outrage, and military-grade rifles were deployed in Dhaka shortly after, per police documents. BBC Eye’s investigation, analysing hundreds of videos, images, and documents, uncovered new details about the violence, including a massacre in Jatrabari, Dhaka, on August 5, 2024, where police killed at least 52 protesters – far higher than the initially reported 30.
Eyewitness footage, CCTV, and drone imagery show police firing indiscriminately after army personnel, acting as a buffer, left the scene. Protesters later retaliated, killing six officers and burning the Jatrabari police station.
Earshot’s forensic analysis found no evidence of manipulation in the audio, noting telephonic frequencies and Electric Network Frequency (ENF) consistent with a room recording.
The analysis confirmed Hasina’s voice through speech patterns, intonation, and breath sounds, ruling out synthetic generation.
British human rights barrister Toby Cadman, advising the ICT, called the recordings “critical” for establishing Hasina’s role, supported by additional evidence.
The ICT has indicted 203 individuals, including former officials, with 73 in custody. Hasina faces charges of crimes against humanity, including mass killings, targeted violence, incitement, conspiracy, and failure to prevent murder.
India has not complied with Bangladesh’s extradition request, and Cadman doubts Hasina will return for trial. The Awami League insists its leaders acted proportionately to minimize loss of life, rejecting UN findings suggesting crimes against humanity.
A Bangladesh Police spokesperson acknowledged “regrettable incidents” of excessive force, with 60 officers arrested and investigations underway.
The Bangladesh army did not respond to BBC requests for comment.
Since Hasina’s ousting on August 5, 2024, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken over, preparing for national elections. The Awami League’s participation remains uncertain.