Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken her clearest step towards returning from exile in India, requesting a new passport and national identity card from the Bangladeshi authorities. The move could set the stage for a politically sensitive return in December, potentially reopening divisions in a country still struggling to recover from the uprising that ended her 20-year rule.
In a letter sent on Monday, Hasina’s lawyers asked Bangladesh’s embassy in New Delhi to issue new identity documents after her existing passport and national identity card were reportedly revoked by the interim authorities. The request is her first such communication since fleeing Bangladesh in 2024.
Hasina has previously told Reuters that she intends to return and surrender before a court. Her aides said the date would be announced once the necessary formalities had been completed. However, her return would take place against the backdrop of a death sentence issued in her absence and a political landscape in which her Awami League party is now banned.
Passport Request Signals Preparation for Return
The letter, sent by London-based Matrix Chambers to Preeti Rahman, Bangladesh’s acting high commissioner in Delhi, asked the embassy to process Hasina’s applications on the basis of her Bangladeshi nationality.
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Her lawyers argued that issuing the documents would be consistent with Bangladesh’s obligations under international human rights instruments. They also requested that the applications be handled expeditiously.
The request is significant because it moves Hasina’s stated intention to return beyond public declarations and towards practical preparations. Without valid identity and travel documents, arranging her return could become considerably more difficult.
Neither the Bangladeshi embassy in New Delhi nor spokespeople for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman immediately responded to requests for comment.
Death Sentence Complicates Hasina’s Political Future
Hasina’s possible return carries substantial legal risks. Bangladesh’s war-crimes court sentenced her to death in November 2025 in absentia, finding her responsible for ordering a deadly crackdown on the student-led uprising that brought down her government. She has denied the charges while living in India.
Her stated intention to surrender before a court could bring the legal proceedings into direct focus. It would also place Bangladesh’s judicial institutions under international and domestic scrutiny, particularly over how the case is handled and whether due process is ensured.
The political circumstances surrounding the case are equally sensitive. Hasina governed Bangladesh for approximately 20 years across multiple terms, but her departure in 2024 transformed the country’s political order. Her Awami League, previously the country’s largest political party, was subsequently banned. Many of its senior figures have been imprisoned, while others have gone into exile in India and elsewhere.
A Return Could Deepen Bangladesh’s Political Divisions
Despite her removal from power, Hasina retains support among sections of the Bangladeshi population. Her return could therefore revive political mobilisation around the former ruling party at a time when the government is attempting to restore stability.
The central challenge for Dhaka would be managing the competing demands of accountability, political participation and national reconciliation. Supporters of the uprising are likely to view any return through the question of justice for those killed during the crackdown. Meanwhile, Hasina’s remaining political supporters could interpret her return as an opportunity to challenge the exclusion of the Awami League from national politics.
The ban on the party adds another layer of uncertainty. Even if Hasina returns, it remains unclear what political role she or her party could legally play under the current arrangements.
India-Bangladesh Relations Could Also Be Affected
Hasina’s presence in India has been a major source of tension between New Delhi and Dhaka since her departure. India’s decision to provide her refuge strained relations with Bangladesh’s post-uprising authorities, making her political future an important bilateral issue.
A return could potentially ease one of the most contentious issues between the two neighbours. However, the outcome would depend on how Bangladesh handles her legal case and whether the transition is accepted by the country’s political actors.
For India, Hasina’s departure would remove a sensitive issue from the bilateral relationship, although it would not automatically resolve wider diplomatic disagreements. For Bangladesh, the case presents an opportunity to manage a difficult relationship with its largest neighbour while demonstrating that domestic legal and political decisions remain under its own institutions.
What Happens Next?
The immediate question is whether Bangladesh’s diplomatic authorities will approve Hasina’s request for new identity documents. Her aides have indicated that a return date will be announced after the necessary formalities are completed, with December identified as the intended timeframe.
Even if the documents are issued, her return would not resolve the legal proceedings or the political dispute surrounding her former government. Instead, it could bring both into a more consequential phase.
Bangladesh now faces a delicate test: whether it can address the legacy of Hasina’s rule through credible legal processes without allowing her return to trigger another cycle of political instability. The handling of her case could have lasting implications for domestic reconciliation, the future of the Awami League and relations with India.
With information from Reuters.
