Bangladesh Blocks Sheikh Hasina's Passport Bid to Return Home

Bangladesh's interim government has refused to issue a new passport to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, blocking a potential return to the country she led for more than 15 years before being forced from power in August 2024.

Hasina, 77, submitted a written request on Monday for a new passport and a national identity card, according to a letter reviewed by the Reuters news agency. The documents would have been a necessary step toward travelling back to Bangladesh, where she faces a series of serious legal charges.

The government in Dhaka rejected the application outright. Officials described Hasina as a fugitive criminal and a terrorist, making clear they had no intention of facilitating her return under current circumstances.

Sheikh Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh following a mass uprising led largely by students. The protest movement, which began over a controversial quota system for government jobs, rapidly escalated into a broader revolt against her administration. She resigned and left the country on 5 August 2024 as demonstrators stormed the presidential palace in Dhaka.

Since her departure, Bangladesh has been governed by an interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, an economist and microfinance pioneer best known internationally as the founder of Grameen Bank. His government has pursued legal proceedings against Hasina and senior figures from her Awami League party.

Hasina faces multiple criminal cases in Bangladesh, including charges related to alleged human rights abuses during the crackdown on protesters. At least several hundred people were killed during the unrest that preceded her removal from office. Bangladeshi authorities have also sought her extradition from India, though New Delhi has not publicly responded to those requests.

The passport refusal effectively prolongs her exile and signals that the Yunus-led administration is not prepared to allow her to return without facing justice through the courts. It also reflects the deep political rupture between the outgoing Awami League era and the new interim order.

What this means: For now, Hasina remains in legal and political limbo in India. Without a valid travel document issued by Bangladesh, she cannot return to her home country. The standoff between her and Dhaka is likely to continue for as long as the interim government remains in place and criminal proceedings against her are unresolved. The situation also complicates India-Bangladesh diplomatic relations, as India's willingness to shelter her has been a source of tension with the Yunus administration.

Source: Le Defi Media