Sheikh Hasina seeks new passport, ID card ahead of planned return to Bangladesh

Hasina has said she intends to return in December and surrender before a court

Web Desk

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9 Nov 2026

Ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina has sought a new passport and national identity card from the country’s embassy in New Delhi, taking a step towards her planned return from India.

According to Reuters, the request, submitted by her lawyers on Monday, is her first known formal communication of this kind since she fled Bangladesh in 2024 following a deadly uprising that ended her long rule.

Hasina has said she intends to return in December and surrender before a court. Her aides said the date would be announced after the necessary formalities had been completed.

In the letter to Preeti Rahman, Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner in Delhi, lawyers from London-based Matrix Chambers said Hasina’s existing passport and national identity card had reportedly been revoked by the interim government and other authorities. They asked the embassy to issue fresh documents on the basis of her Bangladeshi nationality.

The lawyers also urged the embassy to process the applications promptly, citing Bangladesh’s obligations under international human rights instruments.

Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh’s war-crimes court in November last year over her role in ordering a deadly crackdown on the student-led uprising. She has denied the charges.
Rahman and spokespeople for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Hasina’s Awami League, once Bangladesh’s largest political party, was banned after her removal from power. Several of its leaders have been jailed, while others have gone into exile in India and elsewhere.

Hasina governed Bangladesh for a total of 20 years across several terms. Although she retains support among sections of the population, her return could deepen political divisions as the country seeks to recover from years of upheaval.

Her presence in Bangladesh could also affect relations with India, which have deteriorated since New Delhi granted her refuge after she fled the country.