Tribunal Presented Phone Call Transcripts of Hasina, Obaidul Quader and Hasan Mahmud
- Phone transcripts and audio recordings involving Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader and Hasan Mahmud were presented as evidence before International Crimes Tribunal-2.
- The conversations reportedly contained
Transcripts and audio recordings of several phone conversations involving ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, and former Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud during the quota reform movement have been presented as evidence before the International Crimes Tribunal.
Prosecutor Gazi M. H. Tamim presented the information and arguments on behalf of the prosecution before the judicial panel of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.
According to the documents, the phone conversations took place on July 19 and 21, 2024, among the senior figures of the then government. The conversations reportedly included discussions and instructions concerning the use of helicopters to suppress the movement, mobilizing Awami League activists, arresting opposition leaders, retaliatory arson and briefing diplomats.
In a phone conversation at 2:38pm on July 19, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly instructed the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to use helicopters to disperse gatherings of protesters. Regarding the arrest of opposition leaders, she was heard saying, “Take away as many as you can.”
In another conversation at 2:54pm the same day with Dr Hasan Mahmud, after hearing that the Bridge Building had been set on fire, Sheikh Hasina reportedly suggested a “tit-for-tat” response, saying, “You burn, we’ll burn too.”
Meanwhile, in a phone conversation at 5:12pm on July 21, Dr Hasan Mahmud reportedly briefed Sheikh Hasina on a closed-door meeting with diplomats. Sheikh Hasina then allegedly outlined the political narrative to be presented, saying, “Who is responsible for these killings? These killings happened because of your movement, so the students must take responsibility for them.”
She also reportedly suggested using the term “religious activists” to place the blame for the killings on the protesters and convince foreign diplomats of that narrative.
//DBTech/BMO/MSI/OR//
Transcripts and audio recordings of several phone conversations involving ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, and former Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud during the quota reform movement have been presented as evidence before the International Crimes Tribunal.
Prosecutor Gazi M. H. Tamim presented the information and arguments on behalf of the prosecution before the judicial panel of International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury.
According to the documents, the phone conversations took place on July 19 and 21, 2024, among the senior figures of the then government. The conversations reportedly included discussions and instructions concerning the use of helicopters to suppress the movement, mobilizing Awami League activists, arresting opposition leaders, retaliatory arson and briefing diplomats.
In a phone conversation at 2:38pm on July 19, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly instructed the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to use helicopters to disperse gatherings of protesters. Regarding the arrest of opposition leaders, she was heard saying, “Take away as many as you can.”
In another conversation at 2:54pm the same day with Dr Hasan Mahmud, after hearing that the Bridge Building had been set on fire, Sheikh Hasina reportedly suggested a “tit-for-tat” response, saying, “You burn, we’ll burn too.”
Meanwhile, in a phone conversation at 5:12pm on July 21, Dr Hasan Mahmud reportedly briefed Sheikh Hasina on a closed-door meeting with diplomats. Sheikh Hasina then allegedly outlined the political narrative to be presented, saying, “Who is responsible for these killings? These killings happened because of your movement, so the students must take responsibility for them.”
She also reportedly suggested using the term “religious activists” to place the blame for the killings on the protesters and convince foreign diplomats of that narrative.
//DBTech/BMO/MSI/OR//
