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Lawyers for Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally applied for a new passport and national identity card at the Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in New Delhi on November 9. According to AnewZ, a letter seen by Reuters said Hasina’s existing passport and identity card had been cancelled by the previous interim administration.
Lawyers from London-based Matrix Chambers addressed the application to Preeti Rahman, Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner in New Delhi. They said Hasina’s applications as a Bangladeshi citizen should be considered under national law and the country’s international human rights obligations, and asked for the documents to be issued without delay.
The application does not mean Bangladesh has agreed to Hasina’s return or already issued new documents. Her aides say the date of her planned December trip will be announced once the necessary formalities are completed. It has not been confirmed whether the documents will be issued or whether Hasina will leave as planned.
How did Hasina leave power?
Hasina resigned on August 5, 2024, and went to India, ending her 15 consecutive years as prime minister. She served as prime minister for a total of two decades across different periods.
The crisis began with student protests against civil service quotas that favored the children of veterans of the 1971 independence war. After security forces cracked down on demonstrators, the protests grew into broader opposition to Hasina’s government.
An analysis published by the Council on Foreign Relations in August 2024 said reports of mass arrests, torture and killings had fuelled public discontent, while calls to reform the quotas turned into demands for Hasina’s resignation. Hasina resigned and fled to India as protesters approached her official residence in Dhaka. Crowds celebrated her departure, while the military announced plans to form a transitional administration.
The uprising exposed years of accumulated grievances over political repression, restrictions on civil liberties and economic discontent.
Hasina faces death sentence
In November 2025, Bangladesh’s war crimes tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for her role in the bloody crackdown on the student-led uprising in 2024. The tribunal found her guilty of ordering the repression. Hasina has rejected the charges.
In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Hasina said she intended to return to Bangladesh and surrender before a court. However, the application for identity documents does not resolve questions about whether she will be detained, how the sentence will be enforced or what legal proceedings she will face after returning.
Following elections in February 2026, Bangladesh is governed by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party. A fact-finding report published by the British government in October said opposition parties had gained greater freedom to operate, but concerns remained over corruption, accountability and delayed reforms.
Hasina’s Awami League party has been banned. Public discontent over the party’s time in power and the deadly crackdown in 2024 continues. According to the report, some former party members have been released on bail or joined other political forces, but openly supporting the Awami League could lead to persecution and violence. The report’s findings point to significant obstacles to Hasina restoring her political influence, although there are signs that some former party members have returned to public life.
Return could affect Bangladesh-India ties
India gave Hasina refuge after she was ousted from power. The decision has strained relations between New Delhi and Dhaka. The two countries share a long border and have important economic and security interests, making the dispute over Hasina more than a domestic issue for Bangladesh.
Hasina’s stay in India has complicated relations with Bangladesh’s new government. Her return could remove one source of diplomatic tension, but it would not automatically resolve wider differences. While Hasina’s legal and political future remains uncertain, New Delhi must decide how to manage its relations with Bangladesh.
Hasina’s lawyers are awaiting consideration of the passport and identity card applications. Her aides say the date of her planned December return will be confirmed once the formalities are complete. Her return could put the former prime minister’s contentious political legacy and the unresolved struggle over accountability back on Bangladesh’s agenda.
