Sheikh Hasina Seeks Fresh Passport, Signals Possible Return to Bangladesh in December
Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sought a fresh passport and National Identity Card (NID) from Bangladesh’s embassy in New Delhi, signalling preparations for her possible return to the country in December.
According to Reuters, Hasina’s lawyers have formally requested the issuance of new travel and identity documents, citing her Bangladeshi nationality. This marks her first such communication with the embassy since fleeing to India in August 2024.
However, Bangladesh has insisted that Hasina must be extradited under the existing India-Bangladesh treaty rather than being issued fresh travel documents. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Dhaka would continue pursuing her return through legal and diplomatic channels.
Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal in November 2025 for crimes against humanity, has denied the charges. She has previously expressed her intention to return and surrender before a court.
Her possible return comes amid strained diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh over Dhaka’s repeated extradition requests.
