🔥 Leaked Audio Links Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to Deadly Crackdown on Protests
A damning audio recording, verified by BBC Eye and audio forensic experts, has emerged linking former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the lethal government crackdown on student-led protests that shook the nation in 2024.
In the verified recording, Hasina is heard authorising security forces to “use lethal weapons” against demonstrators and instructing that “wherever they find [them], they will shoot.”
The leaked call, recorded on 18 July 2024 and leaked online in March 2025, is now set to become key evidence in a crimes against humanity case against Hasina, who is being tried in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal (ICT).
The protests, which erupted over controversial civil service job quotas for relatives of 1971 war veterans, escalated into mass unrest that ultimately led to Hasina’s ouster after 15 years in power. According to UN investigators, as many as 1,400 people were killed during the brutal crackdown.
Verified by BBC and Audio Experts
BBC’s World Service has independently confirmed the authenticity of the audio with help from forensic audio experts Earshot. The recording, according to their report, contains no evidence of editing or manipulation, and features consistent telephonic frequencies, speech patterns, and background noise that validate its integrity.
Earshot noted the presence of Electric Network Frequency (ENF) interference—a key indicator that the audio was recorded live and not synthetically generated.
The audio came from surveillance by Bangladesh’s National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC), a state body responsible for intercepting high-level communications.
Evidence of Direct Command
The 18 July phone call, made during a pivotal moment in the demonstrations, shows Hasina directing her forces to respond forcefully to growing outrage over police shootings shared on social media.
In the days after the call, military-grade weapons were deployed across the capital Dhaka, with the BBC uncovering previously unreported police documents and witness testimony indicating a far higher death toll than officially reported.
The violence culminated on 5 August, when Hasina fled Dhaka by helicopter as thousands of protesters stormed her official residence, Ganabhaban.
International Legal Proceedings
Hasina, who is currently in exile in India, denies all charges. But human rights lawyer Toby Cadman, advising the ICT, emphasized:
“The recordings are critical for establishing her role. They are clear, properly authenticated, and supported by other evidence.”
The tribunal is also reviewing multiple other calls allegedly linked to Hasina, many of which have circulated online since the protests.
An Awami League spokesperson responded cautiously, stating:
“We cannot confirm whether the tape recording referenced by the BBC is authentic.”
As Bangladesh continues to grapple with the aftermath of its deadliest unrest since 1971, pressure is mounting for accountability at the highest levels.