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Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought a new passport and national identity card (NID) to return to the country. She submitted an application to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, India, on Monday, according to a letter obtained by Reuters.
This is the first time Hasina has made such an application since fleeing Bangladesh for India on August 5, 2024, amid a mass uprising led by students and the public.
The move is being seen as the clearest indication yet of her plans to return to Bangladesh. She is reportedly planning to return home in December.
More than two years ago, a bloody mass uprising ended Hasina’s long rule. The activities of her Awami League party are now banned in Bangladesh. Against this backdrop, her move to return could trigger fresh political and legal tensions.
Hasina told Reuters that she wants to return to Bangladesh and surrender to the court.
Her associates said on Monday that the date of her return would be announced after various formalities are completed.
In November last year, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia in a case accusing her of ordering a deadly crackdown during the student-led uprising. Hasina, who remains in exile, has denied the allegations.
Lawyers from London-based legal firm Matrix Chambers have sent a letter to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Hasina’s behalf. In the letter addressed to Acting High Commissioner Priti Rahman, they said the former interim government and other authorities had reportedly cancelled Hasina’s Bangladeshi passport and national identity card.
They requested the necessary steps to issue new Bangladeshi passports and national identity cards for their client.
The letter also called for the applications to be processed promptly, citing Hasina’s Bangladeshi citizenship and Bangladesh’s obligations under various international human rights treaties.
Reuters contacted Priti Rahman in New Delhi and spokespersons for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka for comment. However, they did not immediately respond to the news agency’s requests.
Before her ouster, the Awami League was Bangladesh’s largest political party. Following Hasina’s fall, the party’s activities were banned. Many of its leaders and activists are in prison, while others are living in exile in India or elsewhere.
Hasina ruled Bangladesh as prime minister for a total of 20 years across different terms. She still enjoys support among a section of the population. Her return could further deepen political divisions as the current government tries to restore stability after more than two years of turmoil.
On the other hand, Hasina’s move to return could potentially help improve Bangladesh’s strained relations with India. Ties between Dhaka and New Delhi deteriorated significantly after India granted her refuge.