Hasina audio recording was recovered by tribunal investigator, says chief prosecutor

A leaked audio recording of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in which she is heard ordering the use of lethal force during last year’s July protests, was recovered by an investigator of the International Crimes Tribunal, the chief prosecutor has said.

Mohammad Tazul Islam, sharing the much-talked-about BBC report on Facebook, wrote: “This call recording was recovered by a special investigator of the tribunal. Much more is yet to come,” calling the clip “just a trailer.”

The BBC, in its report, has verified the leaked audio and confirmed it to be that of Sheikh Hasina. In the recording, she is heard instructing her security forces to “use lethal weapons” against protesters and to “shoot wherever they find them”.

In a separate video message sent to journalists, Prosecutor Gazi Monowar Hossain Tamim said the tribunal’s investigation agency had recovered several audio clips of Sheikh Hasina during its inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity linked to the July unrest.

He said the clips were verified by forensic experts and indicated that Hasina had ordered the use of lethal weapons during the protests. These recordings have been submitted to the tribunal as part of the prosecution’s case.

Tamim said the BBC’s independent verification of the audio clip had further strengthened the credibility of the tribunal’s proceedings.

The tribunal is expected to decide on Thursday whether to formally charge Sheikh Hasina. If charges are approved, the leaked audio will be presented as evidence in court, according to the prosecutor.