New Delhi: Discussions have intensified regarding the return of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India. She has requested a new passport and National Identity Card (NID) from the Bangladesh Embassy. She intends to return to Bangladesh in December 2026. However, the Bangladesh government wants to extradite her from India rather than grant her a passport.
According to a Reuters report, on November 9, Hasina’s lawyers wrote to the Bangladesh Embassy in Delhi. Lawyers from the London-based law firm Matrix Chambers sent the letter to Acting High Commissioner Preeti Rahman, stating that the interim Bangladesh government and other authorities had revoked Hasina’s old passport and identity card, requesting that she be issued new documents.
When will Hasina return to Bangladesh?
The lawyers, citing Hasina’s Bangladeshi citizenship and international human rights norms, demanded prompt processing of the application. Hasina has previously stated that she will return and surrender to the court in December. According to her aides, the return date will be announced after all formalities are completed.
‘No need for passport’
Even before Hasina requested her passport, the Bangladesh government had clarified that she would not need to issue a new passport. On November 6, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir stated that an extradition treaty exists between India and Bangladesh, under which Hasina could be brought back. Kabir said, “We want Haseena handed over to us. She is a terrorist and a fugitive.” He added that passports are not required to bring back criminals. The judicial process and extradition treaty will be used for this.
‘Hasina is a guilty’
On November 8, Bangladesh’s Law Minister, Mohammad Asaduzzaman, also called Hasina a guilty. He stated that Bangladesh has requested India to send her back. A request has already been submitted under the extradition treaty. He stated that the government will act based on the law, not sentiment, in bringing Hasina back. The Home Ministry is handling the matter, and further legal procedures will be completed after India’s decision.
Hasina had come to India after the 2024 movement
Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh for India on August 5, 2024, following a massive student movement in Bangladesh. She served as Prime Minister of Bangladesh for nearly 20 years, serving different terms. In November 2025, the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal convicted her of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death in absentia. The case relates to the violence and government action during the student movement in July-August 2024. Hasina has denied the allegations.
Her party, the Awami League, has also been banned. Many of its leaders are in jail or living in other countries, including India. India has previously confirmed receiving an extradition request at Bangladesh’s request, but has not made public its final decision on Hasina’s extradition.
