Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has formally requested a fresh passport and National Identity Card (NID), taking a significant step towards her stated intention of returning to Bangladesh from India in December 2026. The request comes more than two years after she left the country following the student-led uprising that brought an end to her government in August 2024.
According to reports, Hasina’s legal representatives have approached the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, seeking the issuance of new identity and travel documents. A letter submitted by her London-based legal team, Matrix Chambers, requested that the applications be processed promptly, citing her Bangladeshi nationality and relevant international human rights obligations. The request follows reports that her previous passport and national identity documents had been revoked by authorities under the earlier interim administration.
Hasina’s move comes after she publicly reiterated her intention to return to Bangladesh in December, despite the possibility of arrest and further legal proceedings. She has indicated that she is prepared to face the country’s judicial process upon her return. Her representatives have described the passport application as an important step towards restoring her ability to travel back to her home country.
The request, however, has emerged against a complicated political and legal backdrop. Bangladesh’s current government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has maintained its position that Hasina should be brought back from India under the extradition agreement between the two neighbouring countries. Government representatives have also questioned the purpose of her latest move and indicated that the request for new documents does not automatically establish that she will return.
Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has reportedly said that the foreign and law ministries are examining the matter, including whether there are legal grounds for issuing the requested documents. Meanwhile, officials have previously stated that the government expects India to cooperate with its extradition request. India has acknowledged receiving Bangladesh’s requests, but has not announced a decision to hand over the former prime minister.
Hasina was removed from power on August 5, 2024, following weeks of student-led demonstrations and widespread unrest. She subsequently arrived in India, where she has remained since leaving Bangladesh. In November 2025, a Bangladeshi special tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia over her alleged responsibility for the deadly crackdown on protesters during the 2024 uprising. Hasina has rejected the allegations, denied wrongdoing and questioned the legitimacy of the proceedings.
Her potential return could have significant implications for Bangladesh’s domestic political environment as well as its relationship with India. The Awami League, which Hasina led for years, has been barred from participating in the country’s recent electoral process, while several of its senior leaders have faced legal action or gone into exile.
The passport request has therefore added another dimension to an already sensitive situation involving citizenship rights, extradition proceedings and regional diplomacy. Whether Bangladesh’s diplomatic mission will issue the requested documents remains uncertain. The coming weeks could prove important in determining whether Hasina can move forward with her December return plan and how both Dhaka and New Delhi respond to the developing situation.
Bangladesh’s Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam has also dismissed Hasina’s reported efforts as political posturing, arguing that she has not taken the legal steps necessary for her return. The government has continued to maintain a firm position regarding her extradition and legal status. These developments highlight the uncertainty surrounding her proposed homecoming.