'I told them to burn certain things… they have burned our Setu Bhaban': Hasina in phone call with Taposh

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina gave instructions for arson and ordered the use of lethal weapons during the July–August crackdown on the quota reform movement, prosecutors told the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday, citing recorded phone conversations played in court.

In one such call, Hasina was heard telling then–Dhaka South City mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, "BTRC and BTV have been set on fire. The internet is now down. The machines are all burned. I told them what to burn… they have burned our Setu Bhaban."

Prosecutor Mizanul Islam told reporters during a press briefing that the conversations showed Hasina herself had ordered arson.

The audio was presented as part of testimony from Tanvir Hasan Joha, the tribunal's special investigation officer, who appeared as the 53rd prosecution witness in a case against Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and others for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the student-led mass uprising.

"I gave open instructions. Now they will use lethal weapons. They will shoot wherever they find them," Hasina also said during the phone call.

Special Investigator Tanvir Joha stated in his testimony that 69 audio clips belonging to Sheikh Hasina and call records from three mobile numbers have been seized.

Besides the call records between Hasina and Taposh, two phone calls between Hasina and Hasanul Haq Inu, president of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), and one call with former Dhaka University vice-chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal were also played in court.

In a five-minute conversation with Inu, Hasina agreed to mass arrests to stop street protests, saying, "We are comrades on the battlefield."

Inu then urged that the internet be turned back on, saying the internet would help them, "If the internet is on, we can flood the media with news." Sheikh Hasina answered, "How can I switch the internet back on? They've burned the internet. The internet I cannot restore; another government will do that."

Inu replied, "No other government will come to power in Bangladesh." 

Advising strict action against Jamaat-Shibir, Inu said, "Use this opportunity to break their backbone." He suggested compiling a list and arresting all of them, and Sheikh Hasina agreed.

Earlier, Inu had told her, "So far, all the decisions you have taken are right."

In another call, with Maksud Kamal on 14 July 2024, Hasina expressed intent to execute protesting students. "Rajakars have been hanged, now I will do the same to you (the protesting students). I will spare none," she was quoted as saying.

Prosecutors Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, Faruk Ahmed and Abdus Sattar Palawan appeared for the state. Former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, now an accused in the case, was present in court during the testimony.