A leaked audio recording, verified by the BBC, has shown that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina allegedly gave direct orders to security forces to use deadly force during a harsh crackdown on student protests last year.

In the audio, Hasina is heard telling a senior official to "shoot wherever they find them (protesters)" and to use "lethal weapons". The conversation reportedly took place on July 18, 2024, while Hasina was at her official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka.

Just hours after the call, security forces used military-grade rifles against protestors in Dhaka, according to police documents cited by the BBC.

The violent crackdown happened during massive student-led protests over a controversial quota system in government jobs. These protests, which spread rapidly across the country, created major unrest between July and August 2024.

According to the United Nations, at least 1,400 people were killed during the crackdown. The heavy use of force eventually led to the collapse of Hasina’s Awami League government.

Facing mounting pressure, Hasina fled to India on August 5, 2024, and has remained there since. Bangladesh has formally requested her extradition to stand trial at home.

Sheikh Hasina is now accused of mass killings linked to the crackdown. She is expected to face a special tribunal in Bangladesh. Prosecutors say the leaked audio tape will be key evidence in the case.

In her first public statement since fleeing, Hasinadenied being responsible for the deaths. But officials say the recording is the clearest indication so far that she personally ordered the use of lethal force.

Toby Cadman, a UK-based human rights lawyer advising Bangladesh’s International Criminal Tribunal (ICT), told the BBC that the leaked audio is vital in proving Hasina’s role.

“The recordings are critical for establishing her role; they are clear and have been properly authenticated, and are supported by other evidence,” Cadman said.

Despite the contents of the audio, a spokesperson for the Awami League denied that the tape showed any “unlawful intention” or a “disproportionate response”, according to the BBC.

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