Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh from India is expected after the completion of various formalities, with aides saying the date will be announced once the procedures are completed.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has requested a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID) to facilitate her return from India, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
The request, made on Monday, marks her first such communication since leaving the country in 2024 and the clearest indication yet that she is taking steps to act on her plan to return to Bangladesh in December.
In November last year, Bangladesh’s war-crimes tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for ordering a deadly crackdown on the student-led uprising that ended her 20-year rule. She has denied the charges from exile.
In a letter addressed to Preeti Rahman, acting high commissioner at the Bangladesh embassy in New Delhi, Hasina’s lawyers at London-based Matrix Chambers requested the issuance of new travel and identity documents.
“In view of the reported revocation of her existing Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID) by the Interim Government and other authorities, I respectfully request that you take the necessary steps to issue a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card for our client,” the lawyers wrote.
They requested that the applications be processed “expeditiously”, citing Hasina’s Bangladeshi nationality and the country’s obligations under international human rights instruments.
Rahman and spokespeople for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Hasina’s Awami League was Bangladesh’s largest political party before it was banned following her ouster. Many of its leaders and activists have since been jailed, while others have taken refuge in India and elsewhere.
Having served as prime minister for a total of 20 years across multiple terms, Hasina continues to enjoy support among sections of the population.
Her potential return could further deepen political divisions as the government in Dhaka seeks to restore stability following more than two years of political upheaval.
At the same time, her return could potentially help improve Bangladesh’s strained relations with India, which deteriorated sharply after New Delhi provided her refuge following her departure from power.
Dhaka, 9 November
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