Leaked Audio Suggests EX-Bangladesh PM Hasina Gave ‘Shoot’ Orders During 2024 Protests
An investigation by the BBC suggests that Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is now a fugitive, may have ordered a deadly government crackdown on protests in 2024. She is currently facing trial in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity.
The United Nations reports that as many as 1,400 people were killed during a violent crackdown on protesters between July and August 2024. The brutal response, allegedly ordered by Hasina’s government, came as she struggled to hold on to power during a wave of student-led demonstrations.
Now 77, Hasina fled to India after the protests intensified. Despite being ordered to return to Dhaka for trial, she remains in exile. Her trial began on June 1, without her presence in court.
The BBC Eye Investigations team reviewed a leaked audio recording, believed to be of Hasina, which is a major part of the prosecution’s evidence. In the audio, dated July 18, 2024, a voice allegedly belonging to Hasina instructs security forces to “use lethal weapons” on protesters and to “shoot wherever they find them.”
Audio forensics experts confirmed that the recording shows no signs of editing or manipulation. Experts also said it is highly unlikely the voice was AI-generated. Bangladeshi police compared the leaked audio with verified samples of Hasina’s voice and confirmed a match.
ALSO READ:
- Inside Job Exposed: Kenyan Prison Wardens Convicted for Orchestrating Daring Terrorist Escape
- Uganda Pulls the Plug: Nationwide Internet Blackout Ordered Days Before Crucial General Election
- African Elections Under the Spotlight as Zambia Turns to Kenya Ahead of 2026 Vote
- “Two Drug Barons in Cabinet?” Kenya Government Fires Back as Ex-Deputy President Sparks Explosive Drug Claims
- Kenyan Court Freezes Use of Private Lawyers by Government, Sparks Nationwide Legal Storm
Hasina and Her Party Deny All Charges
The protests began on July 1, 2024, with university students demanding reforms to a quota system for government jobs. At the time, many believed it was impossible to challenge Hasina, who had just secured a fourth term in office after elections widely criticized for lacking real opposition.
However, tensions escalated quickly, especially after police opened fire on demonstrators on July 16, triggering even larger protests.
Hasina’s court-appointed lawyer, who has not spoken to her directly, is seeking to dismiss the charges. Her political party, the now-banned Awami League, also strongly denies that Hasina or its senior members gave any orders to use deadly force.
Instead, the party blames undisciplined actions by individual security officers on the ground for the tragic deaths.
Hasina is also facing a separate legal issue. On July 2, she was sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court. She continues to live in India.
Leaked Audio Suggests EX-Bangladesh PM Hasina Gave ‘Shoot’ Orders During 2024 Protests
