Dhaka, Nov 9 (PTI) Bangladesh’s deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday requested a new passport and national identity card, signalling preparations for her planned return to the country in December.
Hasina, 79, has been living in India since fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024 following a student-led uprising that toppled her government. Bangladesh has been seeking her extradition from India.
In a letter emailed to Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi, Hasina, through a counsel, requested the Acting High Commissioner to take the necessary steps to issue her a new passport and national identity card.
“Our request is made on the basis of her Bangladeshi nationality in accordance with any obligations arising under the laws of Bangladesh as well as any applicable obligations arising under international human rights instruments,” the counsel said in the letter seen by PTI.
Hasina, through her legal representatives at London-based Matrix Chambers, also requested the Bangladesh mission to expedite the issuance of the documents as her existing passport and identity card were revoked by the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
The counsel hoped that the request would be addressed in a “timely fashion.”
Hasina’s party, Awami League, confirmed that she has formally requested the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi to issue her a new passport and identity card.
Hours later, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the government is examining the authenticity and legal grounds of applications submitted by Hasina, the state-run BSS news agency reported.
Speaking at a press briefing, the minister said he had also heard the reports and seen them on news tickers but had not yet been able to verify their authenticity.
He said the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Law were looking into the matter to determine whether the applications were genuine, whether they had been submitted properly, and whether Hasina had any legal right to apply for the documents.
The relevant ministries would review all legal provisions before deciding on any necessary action, he added.
“Prima facie, I can say that we have sent a formal request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the country where a convicted fugitive has taken shelter, seeking her extradition in accordance with the extradition treaty and applicable laws,” he said.
Separately, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir described ousted Hasina’s application as “utterly ridiculous”, reiterating that Bangladesh would seek her return from India through the existing extradition treaty.
“She has been sentenced to death. Bangladesh does not issue passports to terrorists,” he told reporters on Monday.
Kobir made the remarks when asked to comment on Hasina’s request for fresh travel and identity documents.
He said the deposed prime minister, convicted of crimes against humanity, should be handed over to Bangladesh under the bilateral extradition treaty rather than return as an ordinary traveller, BSS reported.
“We have an active extradition treaty with India. You do not need a passport to bring back terrorists and criminals. This is a matter of handover, and a judicial process is already in place,” he said.
“If she genuinely wants to return to Bangladesh, she should ask the Indian government to hand her over under the extradition treaty,” he said.
Kobir also strongly criticised the British law firm representing Hasina, questioning its ethical and professional judgment in taking up the case.
“My first question to that law firm is very simple: Do you know who your client is?” he asked.
He urged the legal representatives to examine their client’s background and the gravity of the allegations before pursuing the application.
In February, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman won parliamentary elections and formed the government, replacing the interim administration.
In a social media post, the Awami League on Monday said the request for a new passport and NID was made “citing her Bangladeshi nationality and the country’s obligations under international human rights instruments”.
Hasina has reiterated her intention to return to Bangladesh in December and face the legal proceedings against her, the party said.
The passport and NID applications mark an “important step towards fulfilling that stated intention after more than two years in India”, it said.
Hasina’s roots, identity and political journey are inseparably connected to Bangladesh. Her homeland is where she belongs, and her desire to return is a matter of national identity and the fundamental right to return to one’s own country, the party said.
“No force on earth can forever stand in the way of the daughter of Bangabandhu returning to her roots, her homeland and her people,” it said.
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam earlier said Hasina was not taking the legal steps required for her return, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
“Her recent activities, as reported by various media outlets, are merely political posturing,” Islam said.
“She is not taking the legal steps she should take to return to Bangladesh,” he told journalists.
Asked about reports that Hasina has applied for a new passport, the chief prosecutor reiterated, “She will not return… these activities are political posturing.”
Hasina faces serious legal challenges in her home country, including a death sentence handed down in absentia by a special tribunal over the deadly crackdown on protesters during the uprising in 2024.
She has denied wrongdoing and questioned the legitimacy of the proceedings.
Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, ruled the country for 15 years before her ouster. Her Awami League government was accused of widespread human rights violations and suppressing political dissent.
The party has been barred from participating in the country’s political activities and elections. PTI SCY ZH ZH
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This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.