Sheikh Hasina, who fled Bangladesh two years ago, has submitted applications for a new passport and identity card to the Bangladeshi government. Her request represents the most concrete indication to date that she intends to follow through on an earlier commitment to return to the country in December. Hasina has stated her intention to appear before a court in Bangladesh, with aides indicating that a specific date for her surrender will be announced once procedural requirements are fulfilled.
A war crimes court in Bangladesh handed down a death sentence against Hasina in absentia last November in connection with a violent military response to student-led protests that occurred in 2024. International estimates suggest approximately 1,400 deaths may have resulted from the crackdown. In her formal request to Bangladeshi authorities, Hasina asked that her applications be handled with priority given her status as a Bangladeshi national.
Official government response to the passport request remains under review. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed reported that the foreign and law ministries are evaluating whether legal grounds exist for processing the applications and whether Hasina maintains legal standing to submit them. Bangladesh’s government has separately indicated it seeks Hasina’s return through extradition proceedings with India, though Indian authorities have thus far declined to facilitate her transfer.
Hashina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, served as prime minister during two separate periods spanning from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2009 until 2024. Her potential return to Bangladesh carries significant implications for the country’s political and legal landscape. While certain segments of the population retain support for Hasina, her arrival could complicate governmental efforts to achieve economic and political stability following two years of internal upheaval.
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