• Sheikh Hasina allegedly authorized a deadly crackdown on protests, according to leaked audio.
• Up to 1,400 people were killed in protests from July to August 2024.
• Hasina is being tried in absentia for crimes against humanity after fleeing to India.
• The International Crimes Tribunal formally indicted her and former officials for their roles.

Audio recordings analyzed by the BBC suggest that Bangladesh's fugitive ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina ordered a deadly crackdown on protests last year. The recorded conversations indicate she instructed security forces to "use lethal weapons" against demonstrators, claiming "wherever [they find them], they will shoot," thus forming crucial evidence for her ongoing trial for crimes against humanity, which started on June 1, 2025, according to BBC, Channel News Asia, and South China Morning Post.

During the protests from July to August 2024, it is reported by the United Nations that up to 1,400 people were killed amid a brutal crackdown by the government. Hasina, aged 77, fled to India following the uprising, which peaked shortly after she directed the violence against protesters resisting her administration, according to evidence disclosed in various reports, including India Times and Dawn.

The leaked audio, dated July 18, 2024, has been validated by both the BBC's forensic experts and the Bangladesh police, who confirmed it matched previously verified recordings of Hasina's voice. This investigation forms a key part of the prosecution against her, which also indicates the involvement of former officials like the Home Minister and police chief, amid claims that they acted on orders from Hasina, as detailed by TRT Global and Al Jazeera.

Hasina's party, the Awami League, has denied all allegations, claiming that any excessive force used by security personnel resulted from "breakdowns in discipline" rather than direct orders from their leadership. Despite ongoing international scrutiny, the party maintains its leaders acted within legal bounds during the unrest, as stated by Le Monde.

The tribunal has now formally charged Hasina and two senior officials for their roles in the uprising. Proceedings will begin on August 3, with witness testimonies following shortly thereafter, reflecting the urgency and gravity of these allegations as noted in the coverage by Al Jazeera and India Times.