Ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina has formally requested a new passport and national identity card, marking her clearest move yet towards returning from India to Bangladesh in December, despite facing a death sentence over the deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising.
Hasina made the request on Monday through her lawyers, according to a letter seen by Reuters. It is her first such communication since fleeing Bangladesh in 2024 following the uprising that ended her lengthy rule.
The move has renewed speculation about her return and raised the possibility of fresh political and legal tensions in Bangladesh, where her Awami League party has since been banned.
Hasina has previously told Reuters that she intends to return to Bangladesh and surrender before a court. Her aides said on Monday that the return date would be announced once the necessary formalities had been completed.
Lawyers Request New Documents
In a letter addressed to Preeti Rahman, acting high commissioner at Bangladesh’s embassy in New Delhi, Hasina’s lawyers at London-based Matrix Chambers requested the issuance of a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID).
The lawyers said the request followed reports that the interim government and other authorities had revoked her existing passport and identity card.
“In view of the reported revocation of her existing Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card (NID) by the Interim Government and other authorities, I respectfully request that you take the necessary steps to issue a new Bangladeshi passport and National Identity Card for our client,” the letter stated.
The legal team asked the embassy to process the applications “expeditiously”, citing Hasina’s Bangladeshi nationality and the country’s obligations under international human rights instruments.
Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner in Delhi and spokespeople for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Death Sentence Complicates Return
Hasina’s planned return comes against the backdrop of serious criminal proceedings in Bangladesh.
In November 2025, the country’s war crimes tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia for ordering a deadly crackdown on the student-led uprising that brought an end to her government.
Bangladesh’s Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina Vows to Return Home This Year Despite Death Sentence
She has rejected the allegations while living in exile in India.
Her decision to seek new identity documents and publicly indicate an intention to return could therefore create a significant legal and political challenge for the authorities in Dhaka.
Political Divisions Remain
Hasina’s Awami League was Bangladesh’s largest political party before it was banned following her removal from power. Several of its senior figures and supporters have since been jailed, while others have gone into self-imposed exile in India and other countries.
Having served as prime minister for approximately 20 years across multiple terms, Hasina continues to enjoy support among sections of the Bangladeshi population.
Her return could intensify political divisions at a time when the government is seeking to restore stability after more than two years of upheaval.
However, the development could also create an opportunity to improve Bangladesh’s strained relationship with India. Relations between the neighbouring countries deteriorated sharply after New Delhi provided refuge to Hasina following her departure from power.
Her passport request has therefore added a new dimension to Bangladesh’s political situation, with her possible return carrying implications for both domestic stability and relations with India.
