The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry is examining a request for a new passport and identity card from the deposed former Prime Minister.
The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs is examining a request from deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for a new passport and national identity card, according to The Hindu. A source in Dhaka stated that the ministry is verifying a letter received from Matrix Chambers, a law firm in London, and will take a decision after internal consultation.
The request was made in a formal letter dated November 9 by lawyer Steven Powles KC and addressed to Acting High Commissioner Preeti Rahman. The letter seeks expedited processing of the documents on the basis of Hasina's Bangladeshi citizenship, noting that her previous documents were cancelled by interim authorities.
Hasina has been living in New Delhi since August 2024, after she escaped to India following a student-led uprising that toppled her government. She has expressed intentions to return to Bangladesh in December.
Abu Obaidha Arin, an aide to Hasina, told The Associated Press that the request is a step toward her homecoming. Hasina has denied any wrongdoing regarding the crackdown on protesters that led to her ouster.
In November 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for crimes against humanity. Hasina has rejected the verdict and challenged the legitimacy of the trial, which was passed without representation from her legal team.
Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said in Dhaka that Bangladesh wants Hasina handed over under an extradition treaty with India. He described her as a fugitive and a terrorist.
