by
Dhaka, July 25, 2025 – Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit (I-Unit) has revealed secret phone recordings exposing that former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered lethal attacks to suppress student protests in July 2024. The investigation, titled *Hasina: 36 Days of July*, details conversations among Hasina’s inner circle, uncovering decisions and suppression tactics. It reports that during three weeks of protests, at least 1,500 people were killed, over 25,000 injured, and security forces fired more than 3 million bullets to quell the unrest.
In a July 18, 2024, recording, Hasina is heard telling former Dhaka South City Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, “My orders were given earlier. I’ve given a complete open order. Now they will strike, shoot wherever they find them. I had been holding them back, thinking about the students’ safety.” In another call recorded by her own intelligence agency, she explicitly mentions using helicopters against protesters, saying, “Wherever they see a gathering, from above—it’s already happening.”
Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Mohammad Tajul Islam, revealed that the crackdown, codenamed *Operation Clean Down*, involved drones and helicopters sent to kill protesters when large gatherings formed.
The death of student Abu Sayed, a symbol of the movement, intensified the unrest. Al Jazeera’s investigation claims Hasina’s government attempted to cover up his killing through threats and bribes. Abu Sayed’s family was coerced into meeting the prime minister on television. In a recorded call, Hasina’s advisor Salman F Rahman is heard inquiring about Abu Sayed’s postmortem report, asking, “Why is Rangpur Medical College taking so long to provide the postmortem report? Who’s playing hide-and-seek—Rangpur Medical?”
Dr. Rajibul Islam from Rangpur Medical College told Al Jazeera, “I had to rewrite Abu Sayed’s postmortem report five times. Each time I submitted it, the police were unsatisfied. It felt like the highest levels of government were trying to tamper with the report.” He confirmed that many protesters were killed or injured by gunfire from helicopters.
Al Jazeera also revealed that the government shut down the internet to prevent images of the violence from reaching international media, as evidenced by leaked official documents.
An Awami League spokesperson denied these allegations, stating that Hasina never used the term “lethal weapon” or ordered deadly attacks. They claimed the internet shutdown was due to damage caused by protesters.
