What happened in Ganabhaban before Sheikh Hasina fled
Armed Forces officers advised Sheikh Hasina to resign on the fateful morning of 5 August. Sheikh Hasina, the then Prime Minister, angrily responded, “Then you shoot me and bury me here, in Ganabhaban."
International Crimes Tribunal’s chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam disclosed the information during a hearing, painting a picture of a government in freefall.
The chief prosecutor submitted a formal charge in a case over crimes against humanity committed in Chankharpul area during the July mass uprising.
He also depicted some incidents of 4 and 5 August which provides a glimpse on the last hours of Sheikh Hasina. These incidents have also been mentioned in the formal charge.
According to Tajul Islam, then parliament speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury had suggested Sheikh Hasina to step down during the uprising. However, senior leaders of the Awami League, including general secretary Obaidul Quader, strongly opposed the idea.
Describing the atmosphere on the night of 4 August, Tajul Islam told the tribunal that a highly “tense and volatile” meeting took place at Ganabhaban. Present were several influential ministers, top ruling party figures, and heads of the military and law enforcement agencies. The meeting involved heated exchanges and disagreements.
“He has sunk you, and will sink you again”
Tajul Islam said that between midnight and 12:15 am on 5 August, during a meeting with the heads of the armed forces, the then defence adviser, Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, raised the issue of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
She reportedly became furious and refused, insisting she would not give up power. She ordered the army chief to stand firm and crush the protests.
Tarique Ahmed Siddique allegedly suggested the military to shoot some protesters to suppress the movement, even proposing firing from helicopters. This suggestion infuriated the Air Force chief, who told Sheikh Hasina, “He (Tarique) has sunk you, and he will sink you again.”
‘Gang of four’
ICT’s chief prosecutor said a “Gang of Four” - Obaidul Quader, Asaduzzaman Khan, Anisul Huq, and Salman F Rahman - advised Hasina to continue a farm stance. They suggested she does not budge an inch under any circumstances.
“Shoot me and bury me here”
During the hearing, Tajul Islam also described a meeting on the morning of 5 August, where Sheikh Hasina, referring to then IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, said, “They (the police) are doing well - why can’t the military?”
The IGP reportedly replied that the situation had become too severe for the police to continue holding their ground.
“We are out of arms and ammunition, and the force is nearly exhausted,” he said.
Following this, military officials again urged Sheikh Hasina to step down. In response, she reportedly exploded in anger and said, “Then shoot me and bury me here, in Ganabhaban.”
According to the chief prosecutor, military officers then took Sheikh Hasina to another room of Ganabhaban, where they explained the gravity of the situation and again requested her resignation. They explained to her that time is running out, protest marches are entering Dhaka from all sides like floodwater. The protesters, driven by the “Long March to Dhaka” campaign, were approaching Ganabhaban from all sides.
Tajul Islam added that Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s younger sister, also tried to persuade her to step down at that moment. At one point, Rehana even reportedly clung to Hasina’s feet, begging her to step down. Yet Hasina remained adamant—until military leaders reached out to her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
They reportedly told Joy that his mother must resign to avoid bloodshed and that clock is ticking down. Finally, Joy convinced her mother to relinquish power.
Tajul Islam said Sheikh Hasina wanted to record a farewell speech to be aired on television, but military officials declined. Due to the urgency, she was given only 45 minutes to prepare, as tens of thousands of students and the public were marching toward Ganabhaban.
At 11:00 am on 5 August, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) informed the BTV director general that the Army Chief would address the nation at 2:00 pm. The speech was eventually delivered at 4:00 pm. By then, Sheikh Hasina had reportedly fled the country and taken refuge in India.