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Activists

Secret Phone Calls Reveal Sheikh Hasina's Directives on Lethal Force Against Protesters

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Tens of thousands of students protested in the streets of Bangladesh last July, demanding an end to a quota system that gave government jobs to the families of veterans who fought in the country's independence war. The protests turned deadly on July 16, when student protester Abu Sayed was shot dead by police. As evidence mounts against the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, secret phone calls obtained by Al Jazeera reveal that she directly ordered police to use lethal force against protesters, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,400 people and injuries to over 20,000.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sheikh Hasina issued an open order to use lethal weapons against protesters, as revealed by secret phone calls recorded by the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC).
  • The calls, analyzed by audio forensic experts, show Hasina instructing her security forces to shoot protesters wherever they find them, sparking a national outcry and intensifying the protests.
  • Hasina's government forces used helicopters to control demonstrations, contrary to their earlier denials, with accident and emergency doctor Shabir Sharif revealing that shots were fired from a helicopter targeting the hospital entrance.
  • The International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) has charged Hasina, her ministers, and security officials with crimes against humanity, with the trial set to begin in August.
  • Student protests began peacefully in June 2024, but turned deadly after the police killed Abu Sayed on July 16, marking a turning point in the July uprising.
  • Hasina's surveillance network, the NTMC, recorded the conversations, which may be presented as evidence before the ICT.
  • Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor for the ICT, said the former prime minister knew she was being recorded, and that Hasina had dug a deep ditch for others with her actions.

Statistics:

  • Nearly 1,400 people were killed during the protests.
  • Over 20,000 protesters were injured.
  • The quota system reserved state jobs for the families of veterans who fought in Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971.
  • The protests started peacefully in June 2024 but turned deadly on July 16.
  • Abu Sayed was shot dead by police on July 16.
  • 40 families of protesters were forced to attend a televised event with Hasina, where they were handed money.

Sources:

  • [Source: Al Jazeera Investigative Unit - Recent recordings of Sheikh Hasina's secret phone calls]
  • [Source: International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) - Charges against Sheikh Hasina and others for crimes against humanity]
  • [Source: Bangladesh's High Court - Reintroduction of quota system]
  • [Source: Al Jazeera - Investigation into the use of lethal force against protesters]
  • [Source: National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC) - Recordings of Sheikh Hasina's conversations]
  • [Source: Popular Medical College Hospital in Dhaka - Testimony of accident and emergency doctor Shabir Sharif]

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