Cabinet discusses leaked Khaleda audio

The Cabinet has taken a serious note of the leaked audio clips of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, where she was heard instructing party leaders to unleash violence on the streets.

Several ministers told bdnews24.com that the audio conversation was played before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the regular Cabinet meeting on Monday.

After listening to the purported audio clips, the prime minister reportedly said, “She has indeed ordered violence.”

A Cabinet member, preferring anonymity, told bdnews24.com that Hasina listened to the audio clips after the day's agenda were discussed.

Audio files of Khaleda's purported telephone conversations with BNP leaders during a party rally four years ago have been put up on YouTube from an account called Bangla Leaks.

The conversations are replete with Khaleda's "instructions" to her party colleagues.

The headlines on the audio files claim them to be evidence of Khaleda's involvement in trouble-making.

bdnews24.com ran the story on Monday morning before the Cabinet meeting started.

Another minister, asking not to be named, told bdnews24.com: "Senior ministers along with state ministers demanded arrest of those who were involved in troublemaking at the behest of Khaleda Zia. But the prime minister did not say anything on the matter."

On Dec 18, 2011, the BNP had organised a gathering of freedom fighters.

Police action to disrupt the gathering at the Institution of Engineers was followed by clashes in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh.

One person died in a bomb explosion in Dhaka and another passenger in Sylhet was burnt to death when a bus was set on fire. Many vehicles were vandalised or set on fire.

Four of the five audio files containing snatches of Khaleda's conversation with BNP leaders pertain to events of that gathering of freedom fighters.