A leaked phone call verified by BBC Eye Investigations indicates that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina authorised a lethal response to student-led protests last summer, which resulted in up to 1,400 deaths, according to UN investigators. In the audio, recorded on 18 July 2024 and leaked online in March, Hasina is heard instructing security forces to "use lethal weapons" and shoot protesters "wherever they find [them]."
The recording, verified by audio forensics experts as authentic, is set to be key evidence in Hasina’s trial in absentia for crimes against humanity at Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal (ICT). Hasina, who fled to India after the unrest, and her Awami League party deny the allegations, with a spokesperson claiming the tape shows no "unlawful intention" or "disproportionate response."
The protests, initially sparked by opposition to civil service job quotas for 1971 war veterans’ relatives, escalated into a mass movement that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule. The deadliest violence occurred on 5 August 2024, when Hasina fled Dhaka as crowds stormed her residence. BBC Eye uncovered new details of a police massacre in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area that day, where at least 52 protesters were killed, far higher than the initially reported 30.
The investigation, supported by eyewitness footage, CCTV, and drone imagery, revealed police fired indiscriminately at protesters for over 30 minutes after army personnel withdrew. Six police officers were later killed in retaliatory attacks, and the Jatrabari police station was set ablaze. Bangladesh Police confirmed 60 officers have been arrested for excessive force during the protests.
Hasina faces charges of mass killings, targeted violence, incitement, and failing to prevent murder. India has not responded to Bangladesh’s extradition request, and her return for trial appears unlikely. The Awami League insists its leaders acted proportionately to minimise loss of life and rejects UN findings suggesting crimes against humanity.
Bangladesh is now led by an interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, preparing for national elections. It remains unclear whether the Awami League will be permitted to participate.
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