BNP calls Sheikh Hasina's passport request a political stunt
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party claims the ousted Prime Minister aims to create instability by seeking new identity documents.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has described a request by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her passport and national identity card (NID) as a political stunt. Hasina, who is currently in India, requested the documents from the Bangladesh Embassy in New Delhi to facilitate a planned return to her country in December, according to Moneycontrol.
BNP Joint Secretary General Khsirul Kabir Khokon MP told ANI that the move aims to mislead the public and create instability. Khokon stated that Hasina has no future in politics and described her as a "dead horse."
Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam also dismissed the move as a political stunt. Speaking to journalists as reported by The Daily Star, Islam said Hasina is not taking the necessary legal steps required to return to Bangladesh.
Hasina's lawyers at London-based Matrix Chambers submitted a letter to the acting high commissioner at the Bangladesh embassy in New Delhi on Monday. The lawyers requested the issuance of fresh documents based on her nationality and international human rights obligations, noting her existing passport and NID were reportedly revoked.
Hasina has expressed her intention to return to the country where her parents are buried, even if it leads to her arrest or death. She has denied charges of crimes against humanity, which she describes as politically motivated.
Bangladesh is currently seeking her repatriation through diplomatic channels. New Delhi has said it is examining requests from Dhaka to extradite Hasina.
